Five Strangers
by Solina Hemitt
Summary: Five Strangers. Five Dragons. One Adventure.
1. Chapter One

_**Prologue**_

_**Five strangers. Five destinies intertwined. Five crystals. Five elements. Five dragons in the 21st century.**_

_**I know it sounds pretty weird, right? Well actually it sounds downright crazy. C'mon you can't just ignore the word dragon especially when it's paired with 'the 21st century'. I was pretty freaked when I heard about it myself. But hey welcome to my life, my whacked out crazy life and join me on my 'adventure' as my dragon partner Ceros so laughingly calls it.**_

_**So here's my story, this 'adventure' the war that we got pulled into. Yes we, there's five of us, five completely opposite personalities from five opposite live. If we got as much of this crap figured out as much as we argued, you'd've thought that we'd have a solution by now. But then again maybe we will win and go home at some point knowing that five teenagers managed to save Earth. Not that anyone would guess that it was us, or that Earth was in danger. There's a whole secrecy side to this ah this thing, I guess we can call it. Pretty much it would be tabloids then straight to the asylum if we told anyone that we, five teenagers and their dragons partners saved Earth from utter destruction due to an invading alien nation. Kinda wild, soundin' isn't it? You running for the hill yet or you stilling following me? Come on join my world.**_

_**Chapter One**_

"_**Aza! Get your butt down here or we're leaving without you!" my mother's voice echoed up the stairs to my bedroom as I was finishing tying my shoes, bright red converse sneakers.**_

_**It was a balmy day, the first day of September and instead of going to school my parents were taking us kids, my two sisters, my super awesome older brother and me to the fair. My brother, Tony, he's great, he's not like other brothers, he's not obnoxious or bossy, he's just really mellow and if I need some help, whether it's relationship advice or monthlies he's there for me. And thank god he was there for me when I found the stone and Ceros.**_

_**I jumped up on the banister and slid down it just as Tony was walking around the corner, I crashed into his arms and we landed in a laughing heap on the floor. "Hey there big brother," I managed to gasp as he struggled to untangle himself.**_

"_**Let's go, Pix. Mom's getting cranky," he said as he helped me to my feet still chuckling.**_

_**I smiled and nodded, following him out of the house. Pix is the nickname he gave me because I was so tiny. I stood at about 5'0" and maybe 105 pounds soaking wet. I'm small, so what?**_

_**Tony opened the door of the family minivan for me and followed me into the back seat. The twins, our sisters, were four years old and chatterboxes. Their names were Lilly and Lucy.**_

"_**Aza, you don't wear makeup and you hardly ever do anything special to your hair, what the hell was taking you so long?" Mom asked as I buckled my seat belt.**_

"_**I'm not a morning person, you know that," I said. "And I was trying to get the twins ready." Somehow in some whacked out way, I was the twins' nanny. If one wet the bed or one had a nightmare they usually came to me. I dressed them and got them ready for bed and everything else and Mom fed them. I absolutely refused to do that.**_

"_**I'm sorry, honey but they listen to you so much better in the morning. You know how much I appreciate your help," Mom said.**_

_**Help? You call taking care of your kids help? Maybe if you quit shackin' it up with the guys at your office and come home on time, you wouldn't have to appreciate my help, **_**I silently ranted in my head, my hands curling into fists on the tops of my legs. Dad has no clue.**

**I only knew because Tony and I had driven over to surprise her with dinner and when I went into her office, Tony had waited in the parking lot with the car, there she was laying on her desk, skirt hiked up, and some strange guy's hands all over her. She hadn't seen me but I left a note with the dinner dish outside her door. **_**'Hope you got all your work done. See you later. –Aza' **_**Mom hasn't said anything about it but since that night she's not working late so much anymore.**

**Tony frowned and reached over, giving my hand closest to him a quick squeeze. I turned to him with a small smile and an eye roll.**

"**Yeah I know but Mom listen to what I'm about to say. I am not watching the twins at the fair. Tony and me are hitting the rides," I said, keeping my tone forceful but not so I sounded bossy.**

"**Yes Aza. I know you've told me before," Mom said in that you're-really-starting-annoy-me-with-this-repetitive-crap voice.**

**I sighed and rolled my eyes. I pulled my mp3 player out of my miniature messenger bag. And plugged into one of my favorite bands, Staind.**

**I stood in an open field. A light breeze stirred my hair; pulling auburn strands from the braid I had put it in. There was no grass, only crystal clear aqua blue water and I was standing on a rock in the middle of it. The water stretched as far as I could see, the sky and water becoming the same entity on the horizon.**

_**The ocean?**_** I thought, sniffing the wind for that familiar perfume of salt and brine that always clung to the ocean wind. Nope there was nothing. No ocean smell or sea birds flying in the sky.**

**I turned on my rock in the middle of this freshwater ocean, looking for some sign that I wasn't the only one there. Nothing. I looked down to see bright colored fish and other nameless creatures swimming about. I gasped, seeing the neon creatures' swim under the rock I was standing on. **_**How odd.**_** I knelt on the balls of my feet, my Converse on the edge of the stone thing. I reached down into the water as one of the creatures swam close to the surface.**

**The creature had the appearance of a fish but it was different, the longer you stared at it the harder it was to tell what kind of thing it actually was. At first it looked like a goldfish, then sea horse, then a baseball sized turtle and then a hermit crab and then something I couldn't even name. Each time I blinked the creature became something different, but could still fit in the palm of my hand.**

**My fingertips brushed its back and turned; it's body in the shape of a seal with the head of a lion. It looked at me considering me for what seemed like an eternity. It opened its mouth, tiny bubbles jumping from its open mouth and soaring to the surface. I laughed at the creature's bewildered expression and it did a couple back flips under the water.**

**I removed my hand from the water and shook it, hoping to dry my hand a bit before pushing the loose strands of hair back from my forehead but as I moved my hand toward my forehead I knew something was wrong. My hand felt weighted and wet and distorted, as if wasn't really attached to my body. I bit back a scream and directed my gaze to my hand.**

**It looked normal, except for the crystalline drops of water clinging to my skin. It was as if they were glued there, no matter how hard I shook my hand, they wouldn't move. I used my other hand to try and wipe the droplets off but they only transferred from one hand to the other. I frowned staring at my hands and then back at the water and the little creature thing that was still staring at me. This time the little creature had taken on the shape of well something I could only call a dragon. No not those giant fire breathing, teeth and claws, kill the knight type of dragons. One of those sleek elegant dragons you see in old Chinese paintings.**

**The dragon was the color of the ocean on a clear day. Its tail, well its entire body looked like tail, well except for its head it really looked like a water snake. The tip of its body, I guess if it had legs it would be called a tail, was decorated with a fin that looked like a rudder, a wide flat fin that looked much like a dolphin's tail fin, except miniscule. The dragon's head was fringed with these wavy fins, kind of like fur, like a lion's mane. Its eyes were the color of seaweed and they were looking straight into mine.**

**I gasped as it moved closer to the surface and me. It was growing in size and legs were forming on its sides. The legs looked much like a crocodiles except the claws looked much shorter and hardly sharp. Fin like growths developed out of the space between its shoulder, iridescent and angular, but wide like the wings of a huge butterfly. It was the length of a full-grown cobra and about as thick a as a basketball, and still growing when it looked at me and opened its mouth, sharp needle like teeth rimming the dragon's salmon pink gums. Its tongue, forked and thin, again much like snakes, slid over its teeth.**

**I screamed as words that were not my thoughts rang in my head; **_**You have been chosen, Watertamer Aza. Find the stone and you will have me. One person, one creature. You cannot hide from me and I hope you won't. Destiny and fate are not to be avoided or changed. I will come, I will be yours and you will be mine.**_

**I jumped awake just as the minivan bumped into the dusty parking lot of the fair, the dragon creature's words still ringing in my head. I took deep breaths trying to calm my pounding heart.**

"**Hey, you okay, Pix?" Tony asked as I removed my headphones and put away my mp3 player. "Looks like you had one hell of a dream."**

**I stiffened staring at my brother in shock, **_**had I cried out? Did I talk in my sleep? Had Tony heard the dragon's words?**_** I shivered, seeing the dragon's eyes in my mind.**

"**Pix? What is up? You look like you've just seen a ghost," Tony said, taking one of my trembling hands between his. "Christ you're clammy."**

**I shook my head. "Nuh-ah. I'm person," I quipped. I stuck my tongue out at Tony as we climbed out of the van. "I'm fine, bub. Don't worry."**

**Tony smiled at the use of my childhood nickname for him. "All right so which ride you want to hit up first, little sister?" he asked, taking the admission ticket Mom handed him.**

"**Anton. Azalee." Mom spoke in her stern mom voice; the one that makes you shut up and listen even when you're not in trouble. She pulled out a roll of cash from her wallet and handed some to Tony and some to me. We both gasped and looked up at her, with wide eyes. "I've been saving for this trip for quite awhile now and I know this is the first time in awhile that we've been able to go and you've been old enough to be responsible with your own money. So there's fifty dollars there for each of you. I really hope that you won't spend it all in one place or on one particular thing. You're sixteen and seventeen; I don't expect you to have much left when we meet up to go home but please be responsible with the money."**

**I smile wide and look at Tony. He winks and at the same time we move forward to wrap Mom in a giant hug. "Thank you," we say as Tony let go.**

"**For everything," I whisper in her ear. "You're the greatest." I step back and kiss her cheek, then meet her gaze and see tears swimming in her hazel eyes. Mom kisses my forehead and points after Tony; he's already headed for the Ferris wheel. I give her hand a squeeze and ran to catch up with my brother.**

"**The rides don't open until ten so that gives about an hour. I as thinking we could browse the tents before we buy our ride bracelets, yeah?" Tony said as I caught up with him.**

"**Sounds good. Can you believe it? We each have 50 bucks to spend. It's like birthday, Christmas and Thanksgiving all at once," I exclaimed in a rush.**

"**Yeah I know isn't it awesome?" Tony said, his face glowing. We walked together in silence for a few minutes. "So what are you gonna use your money for?"**

"**No clue. Probably buy something cool for Mom and Dad for Christmas and maybe you, then maybe something for myself. You?" I said, ducking into a little white tent full of wooden furniture and other items carved from wood.**

"**I don't know. I'm still in shock that Mom actually gave us cash to spend." Tony picked through a stack of hand carved signs, each with a different animal on it. He looked up momentarily to see the price on the wall.**

**I laughed and moved to a display of necklaces with charms made from willow branches. They were tiny and intricate, just the thing for Mom. I picked one up the shape of an eagle. I brought it to the counter and paid $5 for it, cheap price for a smile. I placed the boxed necklace in my bag and turned back to Tony only to find he had disappeared. I sighed and left the tent, standing on the edge of the boardwalk looking for Tony, my size pretty much cancelled that out.**

"**Are you lost, little girl?" one older woman asked, in that stupid voice you reserve for little kids and frightened animals.**

"**I'm 17 and looking for my brother, Grandma," I said, allowing a string of annoyance to wind its self around my words. "I'm fine so kindly leave me be."**

**The woman's lips tightened and she turned on heel, walking away with a loud huff, her nose lifted to the air.**

**I laughed and turned away, slamming right into someone's chest. I stumbled backwards and fell on my butt with a gasp. I looked up, a torrent of angry words building on my tongue, only to find a handsome tawny haired boy about my age staring at me in surprise. "Well are you gonna stand there catchin' flies or are you gonna help me up?" I asked, lifting a hand to him.**

**He grabbed my hand in a benumbed sort of way as if he really couldn't believe he was seeing me. My hand tingled as if I had just touched an electric fence; I gasped and jerked my hand away.**

**I wiped my jeans off and looked at him, feeling rather cross. I hate it when people judged me by my size, even old people, and this joker slamming into me did not help anything. "You should really watch where you're going. But thanks for helping me up anyway. So you got a name? I'm Aza." I held my hand out for him to shake.**

**He blinked several times and looked down at my hand, then grasped it with his own. "Name's Lance. You're the one who just stepped in my way."**

**I met his brown eyes with my own green ones; steeling myself from the tingling sensation his touch sent pulsing through my hand. "You are a damn liar! I turned around and you bowled right into me. Nice to meet you by the way, and now good bye, jackass." I dropped his hand and stepped around him, still searching the steady stream of people walking by for Tony.**

**A hand grabbed my upper arm in a firm grip. "You shouldn't call people names. Apologize and I'll let go," Lance hissed.**

"**I wasn't calling you a name I was calling you out on your behavior. Let me go!" I explained, my voice tight with restrained emotion. My arm was growing numb and his skin was searing hot, like it was on fire.**

"**No," Lance said simply.**

**I sighed and in a quick motion, jabbed him in the stomach with my elbow. He seemed to be expecting a hit because his abdomen was taut but he didn't expect a hit so strong from a pipsqueak like me. His grip loosened and he doubled over, I balanced back on my right foot and used my left to kick him in the side of the face. Lance collapsed and I walked away ignoring the shocked stares from the people around me.**

**My fists clenched and my back stiff I moved through the crowds with only half my attention on where I was going. I saw a spot in the shade under a maple tree and collapsed under it. I removed my Converse from my left foot and looked at it. I massaged it a little; there would be a bruise there in the morning. I sighed and replaced my shoe. It had been awhile since I had used my martial arts. I leaned my head against the tree's trunk and closed my eyes, emptying my mind and pushing the sounds of the fair away.**

_**Aza**_**. A voice whispered. I stiffened, listening intently. **_**Aza.**_** The voice whispered again.**

_**What do you want?**_** I asked in my mind, not even considering the fact that I may be hallucinating or going crazy.**

_**Find me, Aza. You are a Tamer. Now accept your quest. Find me.**_** The voice whispered pleadingly.**

_**What are you talking about?**_** I asked, my brow furrowing. Suddenly the image of the dragon from my dream filled my mind, its seaweed colored eyes piercing me, my jaw clenched as I struggled not to cry out.**

_**You are a Watertamer, a spirit of water and a being of magick. I am your water dragon, your friend and trainer. Find me,**_** the voice said. The dragon's image in my mind winked at me and disappeared, the sounds of the fair assaulting my ears with a deafening crescendo.**

**I groaned, my hands flying to my temples, tears pricking at the back of my eyes. I gritted my teeth and blinked them away, a headache developing behind my eyes.**

"**Aza!" I heard someone shout.**

**I jumped and mentally cursed myself. I turned to see Tony walking toward me, flanked by two of his friends from school, Kyle and Del. I sighed, Del was cool but Kyle was a skater wannabe who thought he could get any girl he wanted, including me.**

**I stood and brushed off the seat of my jeans. "Hi Tony. I was wondering where you went. Hi Del. Hi Kyle."**

**Tony smiled. "Sorry about that the guys decided it would be funny to kidnap me and drag me to this idiotic leather shop."**

"**Oh c'mon Tony, you saw the rack on that girl who was working the counter." Kyle exclaimed, gently punching Tony's shoulder. "How you doin', Aza?" he added in a drawl.**

**I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine, Kyle. Now leave me alone."**

**Kyle winced putting a hand over his heart. "Mm…that hurts, baby face."**

**I took a deep breath through my nose trying to calm down. After what happened with the old lady and that Lance kid and with the way my head felt I had barely any patience left to deal with this joker.**

"**Ah you ain't gonna ignore me now are ya, Pix?" Kyle asked with a laugh.**

**I leapt forward, my fist clenched and aimed for Kyle's stomach. "Don't call me that!" I yelled, my fist sinking into his stomach. He doubled over and I lifted my hand driving the side of my hand into the side of his neck where it connects to his shoulder. Kyle dropped like a weighted stone.**

"**Holy shit!" Del said, kneeling down to roll Kyle over on his back. Kyle's nose was bleeding and his lip was split. "Girl, you knocked his ass out!"**

"**He hit on me for the last time. And he pissed me off. No one but Tony calls me Pix, not even my parents," I said. "He'll wake up in a couple of minutes. Might want to get him to the medics building or something though."**

"**Aza come here." Tony said his voice quiet and restrained. He turned and walked a few feet away.**

**I followed him, my arms folded across my chest. "Yeah?'**

"**What is the matter with you? That's the first time I've seen you that mad in years," Tony said, grabbing my shoulders.**

"**I don't know I just lost it I guess." I met Tony's gaze. "Ever since I met him last year, Kyle has done nothing but annoy me, him calling me Pix was the straw that broke the camel's back."**

"**What are we going to do with you?" Tony asked, pulling me into a hug.**

"**Um you could ditch me and I could wander around on my own so you can hang out with your buddies or we could ditch them and wander around together. But you probably ought to go with them I don't feel like hitting the rides," I said with a shrug.**

"**No I'll help Del get Kyle down to the medics building then we can wander around together all right?" Kyle said.**

**I shook my head. "Go hang out with your friends. They're probably much more fun than you're little sister." I pulled out of his embrace and walked away, leaving him staring at my back in confusion.**

**I lengthened my stride as I turned the corner away from Tony and his friends, trying to ignore the growing pain in my left foot. I slowed once I felt a safe distance between us. Without realizing it I had walked to the medics building. I shrugged maybe the pain in my foot had led me here. Hopefully I wouldn't run into Tony, Del, and Kyle.**

**I stepped back as someone in a blue uniform came out of the small building, grinning and talking to a little girl and her father. He waved them on their way, pressing a lollipop into the little girl's hand. Her knees were bandaged and her face was streaked with dry tears but she laughed in delight and waved good-bye before reaching for her father's hand and walking away with him. The medic, a jolly-faced youth looking about eighteen, waved back before turning back toward the tent just as I started walking away, trying not to limp. I failed because next I heard footsteps hurrying toward me.**

"**Excuse me, miss! Are you all right? I noticed you were limping," the jolly-faced teen said, concern darkening his green eyes.**

"**I'm fine, my ankle is a little sore that's all." I smiled and moved to turn away but he grabbed my wrist.**

"**Please let me take a look. It'll only take a few minutes," he offered, watching me hopefully.**

**I opened my mouth to refuse but sighed instead. "All right, I suppose."**

"**It will only hurt worse if you don't wrap it," the medic said.**

**I nodded and allowed him to lead me into the building, only half listening to him chatter. He led me into a small room with one of those plastic-covered cots you find in doctor's offices. I walked toward it, wondering how I was going to get up there with my ankle throbbing the way it was.**

**The medic smiled and picked me up, placing his hands under my arms and swinging me around onto the cot with ease. He pulled a wheeled stool toward him and sat down, unlacing my left shoe and gently removing it. "So did you fall or something?" he asked as he turned my ankle from side to side. I hissed and he stopped. He placed his fingers flat against the ball of my foot, asking me to push on his hand until it hurt too much. I got about halfway and had to stop. "Definite sprain, if you hadn't come in it would have been a soft tissue injury." He grinned at me. "I'm studying to be a doctor so I'm volunteering here with the doctor I'm apprenticed to."**

**I nodded. "Um actually I kicked a guy in the head. I'm a self-taught karate kid and it's been awhile since I've used it. The kick I used is simple but I hold my foot right.**

**The medic gathered a few things to wrap my ankle. "You're serious?" he sat down again and rolled up my pant leg, he set to work gently wrapping my ankle.**

"**Yeah I am actually," I said defensively. "I had to knock them down to my level first but I still did it."**

"**What'd you do? Punch them in the stomach?" the medic asked.**

**I smiled sardonically. "Yeah I did as a matter of fact." I sighed, looking out the window at the laughing and smiling people passing by.**

"**I'm almost done. No worries," the medic said. "So what's your name?"**

"**Aza. You?" I asked**

"**Miguel. There we go. You are all set." Miguel put two short pieces of medical tape on the end on the wrap, holding it in place. "That should help keep your ankle straight and cut down on the pain when walking. Um take breaks often and sit down if you're gonna be walking a lot. Put it when you get home and ice it," he said, helping me down form the cot.**

**I nodded. "Okay. Thanks." I turned toward the door to leave and started walking away.**

"**Wait Aza. You look the type of person to enjoy this so please take it," Miguel said.**

**I turned back around to face him to see a beautiful crystal dangling on a leather necklace swinging from his fingers. I took it my hands, cradling it in my palms, staring at it in wonder. The stone was a crystal rod about an inch and a half long, it was clear except in the center of the stone was an aqua blue haze. There were hair fine black lines tracing the surface of the stone, beginning and ending now where. I stroked it with one finger, transfixed by it.**

**I know it sounds weird that I was captivated by a simple stone but I swear I could hear it whispering to me. Pleading with me to take it away from this man and free whatever was trapped inside.**

"**I was gonna see if I could sell it to a dealer but so far I haven't found anyone who wants it," Miguel said with a shrug. "You can have it if you like."**

"**I do," I breathed still studying the crystal. My eyes moved to the blue haze in its center and I could've sworn I saw a seaweed green eye looking back at me. A ghostly chuckle echoed in my ears as a breeze blew through the partly open window. I jumped and looked up at Miguel but he was gone and I was alone in the room.**

**I turned to the door, clipping the necklace around my neck. Wind burst through the window and swirled around me, I gasped, swallowing the scream of surprise that threatened to explode from my mouth. It was not wind that swirled around me. It was instead, an incredibly fine mist, warm and caressing like a mother hugging her child it flowed over my skin, as if to make sure I was really me.**

**I tried to move away from the mist and brush it off but it seemed to be stuck to me as it moved over my skin. The strangest thing was the fact that the mist wasn't even making my skin wet, it was just there. I gasped again as it crept up the back of my neck and flowed around caressing my chin, jaw line and finally moving to my face. The mist hesitated at the corner of my mouth; I let out a shivery breath and the mist flowed upward and in over my tongue with surprising speed. I coughed as it moved down my throat and dispersed itself into my body but the sound of my retching only seemed to make the mist move faster.**

**Warmth flowed through my limbs and they began to move on there own accord. I thought I was going to cry. With difficulty I clenched fists and pressed my teeth together, shouting no in my head.**

_**Ah how good it feels to be free,**_** said a voice echoing in my mind.**

**I jumped, looking around the room for the speaker, "Where are you? Who are you?"**

_**You'll make people think you're crazy talking to yourself like that. We, as a matter of fact have already met, don't you remember?**_** An image flashed in my mind. An elegant creature, dragon like in a serpentine way, like the dragons out of those old Chinese paintings.**

**I gasped my hands covering my mouth. **_**A dragon creature is possessing me! Am I crazy?**_** I wondered idly.**

_**Don't you think you're being just a bit over reactive?**_** The voice asked, this time, the words issuing from the dragon's image in my head.**

_**I'm having a conversation with the voices in my head. In this world you get thrown in a rubber room with a hug me jacket for that!**_** I spat.**

_**I promise you, you are not going anywhere. Do you trust me?**_** In my mind's eye the image changed, the scope widening to include how the dragon creature saw me. I still looked like me but I was dressed in tight fitting pants like jodhpurs, and horseback riding boots, ones that looked like they had come straight from, A Knight's Tale, and a loose fitting sleeveless cotton shirt the color of the ocean.**

**In my mind I watched as the dragon reached a paw out to me, his claws gleaming in the sun. I shrank back, staring at the creature. **_**Are really asking me that? You invaded my body and you won't get out of my head and you're making me talk to myself.**_

**The dragon winced and withdrew his paw, setting it back down on the ground. **_**I suppose I deserved that. Can I make it up to you, please?**_** The dragon bowed, lowering his head so his chin hovered a few inches above the ground. **_**My name Ceros Penteium, I am a water dragon, heir to the waters of the world and chieftain of the seven seas. And you my dear human are my Tamer. **_

_**Tamer?**_** I asked reaching forward in my mind to touch the dragon's scales. My hand in real life twitched but stayed at my side.**

**Ceros Penteium grinned, leaning into my touch and nodding his head. He seemed excited to see that I could move freely within my mind while he was there without my physical body reacting as well. **_**Yes, Tamer. You are a spirit of water. You can control water with any movement your body makes and on any whim of your mind. You are my Water Tamer and I am your water dragon. I will be your trainer and friend and helper throughout the adventure we are about to embark on.**_

_**I have a gift?**_** I stepped forward dragging my hand along Ceros' body as moved to his back. My body, still standing in the room where Miguel had left me stayed still, my eyes clamped shut.**

_**Yes. Come with me and you will see.**_** Ceros nudged my hip with his nose and I stopped at his shoulders, turning to look at him quizzically.**

_**I can't. My brother, he'll probably be looking for me, and my family, I can't just leave.**_** I exclaimed, images of my family flashing in my head, showing Ceros who they were.**

_**Aza, you are water, free flowing and stopped by nothing. I know that the past half hour or so hasn't seemed that way but look back. What make you most happy?**_

**I did as he said, images flashing swirling around us in my mind's eye, like a tornado. At first I wanted to say Tony but I as I searched through my memories, the most carefree ones were when I was swimming or somewhere near water. I lifted my hands and halted the images, I moved my hands together, so my palms were almost touching and then threw my arms wide and the memories disappeared, my real hands twitching but staying clenched to my sides.**

**I opened my eyes this time, and moved toward the door. I had to find Tony; I had to talk with him. He was the person I trusted most in the world.**

_**Aza. Aza, where are we going?**_** Ceros asked, as opened the door and left the medics building.**

_**We have to find Tony.**_** I said simply, my eyes closing briefly as I pulled up an image of him for Ceros to see.**

**Ceros pushed the image away. **_**But why? Aza I have to explain our quest. What are you going to when you find him? Tell him there's a talking dragon in your head?**_

**I sighed and rolled my eyes. **_**Must you be so melodramatic?**_** I moved through the crowds with a fluid motion, cutting through the throngs like I never had before. I was so much more aware of my movements now, more aware of everything, especially the locations of any water sources, and oddly enough the water levels in the air and in the people around me. If I didn't concentrate on walking or accidentally bumped into someone their silhouette would spring into my mind, and then it would rapidly fill up with water and stop at whatever percentage their water level happened to be at. It was intriguing and disconcerting at the same time.**

_**You'll get used to it and soon you'll be so used to it that you can suppress the readings if you feel like it.**_** Ceros paced restlessly in my mind's eye. I groaned, pressure building in my forehead.**

_**Enough, Ceros or I will put you back in the crystal! **_**I screamed silently. My fists clenched and as I slowed my pace, moving to the side of the path where it was less crowded, and pictured Ceros dissolving into mist collapsing into a ball and disappearing into the crystal at my neck.**

**Ceros growled and tried to resist. **_**I stopped, what are you doing?!**_

_**I am getting you out of my head so I can try and wrap my mind around this whole idea without you interfering with my thoughts. **_**I pictured the scene again, this time adding my force to my thoughts.**

**Ceros growled. **_**Listen, Aza, please listen. There are still things I need to explain to you before you tell your brother about. You have to be careful. Your powers are closely linked to your emotions. If someone upsets you could very well freeze them in a pillar of ice for eternity.**_** Ceros shivered internally.**

_**Has that happened before?**_** I asked, slowing reducing the pressure on Ceros.**

_**Yes. Several centuries ago my cousin well his Tamer became angry with the air dragon and her Tamer and the air Tamer did not stop, she drove my cousin's Tamer to infuriation and the Tamer froze both the dragon and the Tamer into a pillar of ice. It was another four centuries before they could get out. The Tamer who had put them in the ice had died several years before they got out and as soon as the air Tamer and dragon set foot on the ground a wind blew up and they fell to dust, both of them. Being trapped in the ice had sapped their powers away into nonexistence. **_**Ceros explained, grief making his voice husky.**

_**What happened to your cousin?**_** I asked, slowing my pace, and allowing the crowd to buffet me in the opposite direction, to a shady bench.**

_**Well because Tamers aren't considered truly human they do not live as a normal human would. Tamers have the ability to live so very much longer. It was quite long time before anyone realized that the air dragon and his Tamer had gone missing, ten years if my memory serves correct, and another 421 years before anyone would catch my cousin and his Tamer. But when they were captured they were immediately put to death under crimes against Earth's guardians. **_**Ceros said sadly. **_**It was an awful thing to happen and that was the first to occur in nearly a millennia. It was lucky that it was a time of peace when those four died otherwise we would not be here talking of it now.**_

_**So do Tamers like have some secret society or meeting place we go to? **_**I asked, still mulling over Ceros' story. I sat down on the bench and closed my eyes appearing once more in my mind's eye. I walked to Ceros and pressed my hand to his neck, I felt something wet on my other hand and looked briefly to see Ceros with tears trickling down his scaly cheeks. I wiped them away and hugged his neck, and willed my self into his mind.**

_**Be careful. All dragons are born with the memories of their ancestors. Secret society? Well in a way. There is a place all Tamers and dragons can go to commune with past Tamers and their dragons. Each story and set of Tamers is different, each brought to being for a separate reason but without the previous none would exist at all.**_** Ceros said, bringing up several memories. The first was of the air dragon and his Tamer in the pillar of ice, the second was of the water dragon and his Tamer's trial and the third was of a mountain peak shrouded in clouds. I watched as the mist cleared away for me to see a basin thousands of miles across and containing every Tamer and dragon that ever existed, even the four from Ceros' pillar of ice memories.**

_**Wow. That is whacked. Can we go there? Will I meet the other Tamers and dragons of this century if we do go? **_**I rattled off excitedly, carefully extricating my self from Ceros' memories.**

_**Perhaps when the time comes.**_** Ceros said. **_**Now get up your Tony is approaching.**_

**I opened my eyes and stood, climbing on the bench to see if I find Tony. I frowned; being short was a pain in the neck.**

_**There, by that racecar game.**_** Ceros said.**

**I jumped off the bench and ran for it, bouncing off people and not caring in the least. "Tony!" I yelled, the sound of my voice surprising me after talking in my head so much.**

**Tony spun around in surprise, his face breaking into a surprised smile as I jumped into his arms. "Whoa Pix easy there, kiddo. Are you all right?"**

**I nodded vigorously, wrapping my arms around his neck. "I'm fine but I need to talk to you. Something happened I have to tell you about."**

"**What is it, Aza?" Tony put my down and led me to the side of the walk, away from the people walking by.**

"**Not here. It's a huge secret and I have to explain it. It's gonna sound crazy but you have to believe me," I said in a rush.**

_**Calm yourself, little one.**_

**I took a deep breath and looked Tony square in the eye. "No matter what I'm about to say I'm still your sister but if you chose not to speak to me for awhile then I completely understand. Don't interrupt, I want to get it out all at once." I waited for him to nod, concern, curiosity and confusion swimming in his eyes. "Okay so um this is gonna sound crazy but here it goes. I am a Water Tamer, I can control water, make ice and make water do whatever I can think of, even hurt people. I am a spirit of water and a reincarnated Tamer several times over and this crystal around my neck houses my power and my teammate and trainer, a dragon named Ceros Penteium."**

**I took a breath before continuing. "Since before I was born or even thought of, it has been my fate to harness water's power and alongside my dragon friend defend and save Earth from impending doom." I closed my eyes, waiting for Tony to start laughing or walk away or shun me but he didn't do anything.**

"**You're serious aren't you?" Tony said caution and disbelief clear in his words.**

**I nodded and opened my eyes. "Yeah I am. There are five of us, well ten if you consider the dragons but I'm talking about humans."**

"**Aza you understand that you sound like a complete loony?" Tony said, frowning slightly.**

**I shrugged. "Yeah I considered that fact when Ceros started talking to me I answered back. It wasn't my choice, Tony, and it's overwhelming to know that I'm gonna turn into, along with four others, some kind of crack pot team of saviors." I bit my lip, listening for a moment. "Ceros says that since you don't believe me, I can prove it."**

"**What do you mean he says? I didn't hear anything," Tony said, looking around.**

"**Only I can hear Ceros unless he's formed. We're both water spirits so we can share a body and mind. Ceros speaks to me through his thoughts and I answer him with my own thoughts," I said quietly, knowing full well I sound stark raving mad. You're the human I trust most in this whole world and you're the only one that's gonna know my secret and you can't tell anyone else. Please Tony if you love me tell me you aren't going to tell anyone."**

"**Human? What happened to me being your brother?" Tony hugged me. "Of course I won't tell anyone and I would like you to prove it, I mean you do sound like a loony."**

_**Can we do that? Can you show him you, Ceros? **_**I asked, closing my eyes briefly. Our connection's clearer that way.**

_**Yes we need to find someplace private, though. **_

_**Behind the racing shed, by the track, they haven't used that in years. **_**I drudged up a picture of it from when I was a little little kid and showed it to Ceros.**

**Ceros considered the memory, he then closed his own eyes and the edges of his body blurred, a hum filling the air. He opened his eyes and the humming stopped, his body clear once more. **_**It will do. **_

**I smiled and opened my eyes. "Come on follow me." I grabbed Tony's hand and began pulling him through the crowds. We only had a few minutes walk but the crowds were making it difficult, especially for someone my size.**

**Ceros' presence shifted in my mind, moving to my eyes, I stumbled as images flashed through in front of my eyes. The pictures were of a different route, with no other being to be scene. The images flashed across my corneas appearing opaque like in my line of vision so I was looked through the pictures to the crowds in front of me.**

**I turned suddenly, following Ceros' instructions. **_**I read the moistures in the wind and made a map of sorts, I also used some of your memories. Turn again once you get past the barns.**_

**I nodded and did as I was told. Tony was still trailing behind me, his grip on my mind a constant reminder of what I was about to do. I shook my head and pushed aside my fears as Ceros' voice intruded my thoughts. **_**Is this it?**_

**We rounded a corner and there stood a fragile looking dilapidated old barn. It was incredibly old, one of those post and beam types that were put together with wood pegs. I released Tony's hand and walked forward, my eyes falling closed. I took a deep breath and put my hands together, palm-to-palm. Ceros closed his eyes also and a breeze tugged at my hair.**

**Suddenly I felt a chill creeping down my skin, trickling, and a rolling sensation almost like water but lighter and purer. I opened my eyes to see a mist rolling off my the skin of my arms. I shivered and the mist lifted, solidifying meticulously slow.**

**Tony came to stand by my side, gripping my shoulder in reassurance, I blocked out his water level as it jumped to my mind. Instead I watched in fascination as the mist continued to move in sluggish movements.**

**Going from the ground up, paw-by-paw and scale-by-scale, a dragon appeared in front of us. He was the color of ocean water, on a sunny day with a reptilian figure. His paws looked like that of a crocodile, his legs only holding the creature about a foot and a half off the ground, his body as thick as an ATV tire and about the length of a minivan, and a mane of blue fibrous hair decorated his head like a lions mane. Its eyes slanted down slightly and seaweed green like a cat's and watching me with a predatory focus.**

**The dragon dropped to one knee, his tongue flickering out to lick his scaly lips before speaking. "Good day, milady Tamer." He rose to consider my reaction.**

**I gasped, my hands flying to cover my mouth. I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing but then again I kinda had to; he was part of me after all. I forgot Tony was there and walked toward the dragon, my hands trembling. I dropped to my knees in front of his muzzle, and took it in my hands tears cascading down my cheeks. "I remember, Ceros, I remember why I'm here. I can feel a presence in my mind. The past is coming back to me."**

**Ceros hissed softly, trying to calm me. His tongue flicked out, across my cheek trying to stop my tears. "Please, my young one, do not despair. The past is just as it is named; allow it to stay there. We are now and must face it that way," he spoke softly, his reminding me of waves gliding across the sand, raspy in a way but calming in another.**

**I tried desperately to make sense of the images in my mind, unaware of my brother's presence or the quiet noises coming from Ceros' throat, musical and songlike. I only knew the sounds and broken bits of memories crashing through my mind, so many people and different lives. I couldn't make sense of it.**

**Slowly I pushed the broken memories aside, I couldn't make sense of them, it was like a fast forwarding videotape. I dried my face and turned to Ceros, he was still making the songlike noises. I half smiled and Ceros' tongue flicked out once again to dry my face.**

_**Your brother seems perplexed.**_** Ceros' voice echoed in my head.**

**I started and jumped to my feet. I turned to Tony and grabbed his hand, gently tugging him forward. "Tony this is my ah friend, Ceros Penteium. I just call him Ceros it's much less formal. Only in the Century Meets do you call dragons by their full names."**

**Ceros bowed again. "Good day to you, Tony. It's a pleasure to meet Aza's most trusted companion." He stood once more, watching Tony expectantly.**

**Tony gaped, blinking several times in rapid succession. "A talking dragon? I must be crazy."**

**Ceros frowned and I sighed, clapping my hand to my forehead at the same instant.**

**I pressed my hand to Tony's back, making him bend over so he bowed to Ceros. My strength had increased with the knowledge of lineage. "You always bow before a dragon, they are after all superior beings," I hissed in Tony's ear.**

**Ceros nodded.**

"**I am not bowing to a lizard!" Tony exclaimed standing upright.**

"**You already did and unless you want to anger him you will do so every time you meet Ceros. You can consider you sanity later," I said. "Now please mind your manners. Speak only when spoken to and do not question you sanity in front of Ceros. Do not make direct eye contact unless the dragon does so first. Disrespect is a grand offense to a dragon." Tony frowned and nodded, noting the seriousness of m expression.**

"**Do you believe Aza now, human?" Ceros asked keeping his tone light and playful.**

**Tony nodded. "This all very hard to swallow. I mean no disrespect but this completely crazy."**

"**It is understandable that you feel this way, human, but you must also understand that without your sister's help Earth may cease to exist," Ceros said, studying Tony carefully.**

"**Tony. My name's Tony." He bowed once more for good measure. "What is going to happen to Earth?"**

"**Nothing you need to worry about, Bub. Me and Ceros and the others will take care of it," I broke in before Ceros could speak.**

_**That was rude. **_**Ceros spoke in my mind rather than out loud.**

_**Yes but I can get away with it seeing as we are one. We don't need to give away any unnecessary information and be overheard**_**. I answered back.**

**Ceros shrugged and nudged me in the back. "We must leave, young one. Danzig and Ambrosa are nearby."**

"**No not yet." I glanced at Tony then back to Ceros to meet his eyes. "We can go save the world after I get my fill of semi normality."**

"**There are only three of us. We must first find the earth and weather dragons first and their Tamers. The dragons would be at the Dragon's Gorge. And I'm sure they are quite impatient," Ceros said.**

"**Ceros. I have to come up with some kind of story to get away from home for who knows how long," I said, my tone firm and icy.**

**Ceros' jaw muscles flexed and he nodded. "Fine," was all he said. He dissolved into a small cloud of mist and encircled me before joining me.**

**His presence settled into my mind like slipping on a favorite coat. I took a deep breath of relief as Ceros' mist form swept over my skin before settling into my pores and joining my mind. I hadn't realized how tense I had been when Intel was in form; I guess I was so worried about getting seen I had freaked myself out.**

"**Where'd he go?" Tony asked, looking around wildly.**

"**He joined me." I took Tony's hand and pressed it to my forehead. "Ceros and I are one being, he shares my mind, my heart and my body." I moved Tony's hand to my heart and then to my stomach.**

**Tony stared for a few seconds and then shook his head and smiled. "All right dragon girl, let's get something to eat. I'm thinking some ice cream from Mama Rosa's, my treat."**

**I grinned. "Chocolate with all the fixings?"**

**Tony squeezed my hand. "Chocolate with all the fixings." Still holding my hand he walked away from the old barn toward the path.**

**I took a deep breath, relaxing into the walk and finally taking in the fair scene. It took us about twice as long as it should have to reach Mama Rosa's. I kept stopping at every booth that had things that attracted my eye. I bought wooden flutes for the twins, one pink and one yellow and a CD of reed pipe playing for my dad, he was into funky music. I got a really awesome dagger carved from onyx for Tony. It took quite a bit of bartering and wheedling, luckily the guy was young and cute so I flirted the price down about half and by the time I actually handed cash over for it the price was three quarters what it originally was. The dagger came with it's own leather case too, it wasn't sharp though but it did come with a little stone and book on how to give it an edge, he loved medieval type things. And I bought a new beaded belt and shawl for me.**

"**Jeez this is why I hate taking you shopping. You stop everywhere," Tony complained.**

"**Don't be a weenie or you won't get your birthday present," I said, pausing to look over a tray of pewter rings with multicolored stones.**

**Tony frowned and pouted. "But I'm hungry, Pix," he whined**

**I laughed and tickled his sides. "Ah does baby Tony want his bottle, or maybe some cheese with that whine?"**

**Tony stuck his tongue out at me and pulled me toward Mama Rosa's. It was right up ahead, Italian opera coming from within the booth.**

**Someone grabbed my shoulder, yanking me too a stop. "You!" the voice spat.**

**I shook free from Tony's hand and turned around to see Lance, the kid that had ran into me earlier. His lip was split and swollen, giving his face a lopsided aspect. "Leave me alone!" I said, throwing his hand off my shoulder**

_**Aza.**_** Ceros spoke in my mind but I was too angry to notice.**

"**No I will not. You owe me an apology," Lance said.**

"**I don't owe you anything at all, now leave me alone," I spat.**

"**Aza, who is this kid? And why is he bothering?" Tony asked, putting a hand on my other shoulder.**

_**Aza.**_

"**You stay out of this. She owes me an apology for this," Lance said, first jabbing a finger at me then his lip.**

"**We wouldn't be discussing this if you watched where you were going and hadn't run into me and pushed me to the ground," I said.**

_**Aza! **_**Ceros' tone was getting irritated but I still ignored him.**

"**You're the one who just stepped in my way without looking we wouldn't be discussing this," Lance said back.**

_**Aza!**_

"**I did look, thank you. And if you hadn't have grabbed my arm then I wouldn't have kicked you," I retorted.**

_**AZA!**_** Ceros thundered.**

**I let out a squeak and my hands flew to my temples, pain crashing through my head like waves on an angry ocean. **_**Christ, Ceros what do you want? **_**I asked in my squeezed my shoulder again but I shook him off.**

_**Look at Lance's eyes and allow him to meet yours. **_**Ceros extended his reach to my eyes, changing their color and shape to match his.**

**I did as I was bidden and met Lance's gaze forcing him to meet my eyes with his own.**

**Lance gasped, "You!" he stared in wonder, probably trying to figure out how such a small human being could be a Tamer.**

**I blinked several times, feeling my eyes return to normal, and shook my head. "It's impolite to stare," I said, crossing my arms and raising my chin defiantly.**

"**Can I buy you an ice cream?" Lance blurted, then covered his mouth as if he couldn't believe that offer really came out of his mouth.**

**I laughed. " Nice of you to offer but my brother is treating me. I suppose you can join us if you like."**

**Lance opened his mouth and closed it a couple times, looking as if he wanted to refuse. Then he frowned and said, "Okay, thanks."**

**I grinned and chuckled. "You ready, Tony?"**

"**Yeah actually I'm really confused. A minute ago you two were about to start clawing each others eyes out and now we're going to get ice cream," Tony said, "What the hell is going on?"**

"**Hmph…that is rather odd but he's a Tamer and my ally I guess of sorts," I shrugged.**

"**You can't just go shouting that word around, what if someone hears you?" Lance said, his expression growing anxious.**

"**Oh jeez, Lance you aren't a worry wart type, are you?" I asked, exasperated. "No one is going too know what we're talking about and if they do then they may be one too. So far there are only three of us and the others need to be found so maybe if someone does overhear me it's one of the others."**

**Lance frowned, rubbing a hand over his face, his jaw muscles flexed and when he removed his hand he looked incredibly annoyed. "Fine. Can we just get the damn ice cream?"**

**I shook my head and linked arms with Tony. "Let's go."**

**Lance looked over at us strangely and then away quickly.**

**I glanced at him, my curiosity spiked. Lance's expression had turned solemn and sad; his hazel eyes were dark and partly hidden behind his thick shaggy tawny hair, full of an emotion I couldn't place. Regret? Distress? Anger? Perhaps all three. I shrugged and looked away but not before Lance met my gaze. He looked at me for one long second and then away. I knew what was bothering him.**

**I freed my arm from Tony's and stretched, then folded my arms on top of my head. "Sure is warm for September. Wouldn't believe it was autumn unless you looked at the trees," I said as we joined the ordering line at Mama Rosa's.**

**Lance stared at me hard for a second as if considering something and then slipped in front of me. I didn't object, I pretended to be absorbed by Tony's choice of ice cream.**

"**Ugh so many choices," Tony said. "I think I'll go with the moose track sundae. What about you, Pix, change your mind?"**

**I laughed. "No way, still chocolate with all the fixings."**

"**It'll give you pimples," Tony joked.**

**Even Lance laughed when I said, "If people don't like me because I have a pimple then they don't have to look at me cause they're pompous fools."**

**It was our turn to order and Lance stepped up to the window, throwing a flirtatious smile to the girl at the counter. I smothered a laugh. Lance glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes, and winked when the girl looked down to write out his order. "Oh and I'll also have a chocolate cone." He glanced at me again. "Large with all the fixings in a dish, please, and a moose tracks sundae." He withdrew the required amount from his pocket and handed it to the girl, joking and flirting while she got him his change. "Thank you. Have a nice day."**

**Tony dogged him as we moved to the pick up window and I followed close behind. "Why'd you do that?"**

"**I want to apologize for being rude earlier and-," He paused his lips pressed together firmly. He flinched and sighed. "And for running you over at our first meeting Aza." He passed me my ice cream, upside down in a dish.**

**I laughed. "Thank you and apology accepted, to both of you. You wouldn't have apologized for running into me on your own, I know your type, stubborn and proud, never wanting to admit your wrong." I took the bowl, licking my lips. "Mmm just the way I like it."**

**Lance's eyes flashed in anger but he nodded. "You're right." He passed Tony his sundae. "Shall we find a place to sit?"**

_**You are wonderful**_**. Ceros said.**

**I giggled. **_**Thanks, I guess but I don't understand. **_**I followed the boys to a table on the fringes of the tent and sat between them.**

_**You just outwitted both the Fire Tamer and his dragon at the same time. Ambrose was not expecting you to address him and you managed to pin the personality of the boy at the same time. Oh, Ambrosa is surprised. This hasn't happened to her in years. Most past Fire Tamers have been quiet and mysterious, not hot tempered and rude like Lance. She is trying to in still manners in the boy. I think you will help in that process. **_**He paused, and used my eyes to look at Lance.**

**I felt my eyes change shape and my head turned to Lance against my will. Lance glanced up and down again then his head snapped back up when he registered that my eyes had changed. He stared, his mouth hanging open slightly.**

_**He seems intelligent.**_

**I blinked my eyes back to normal, giggling slightly. **_**He was surprised, that's all.**_** I took a bite of my ice cream, my body my own once more. It was still unnerving to know that Ceros could take my body even if I didn't want him to. Hell it was unnerving to know I was sharing my body with a dragon. But it was strange because in a way I knew this was the way it had to be. I accepted I couldn't get rid of him. His death would be my demise and like wise for Intel. I wouldn't die but I would be greatly weakened and without my powers. For as long as it took for a new generation of Tamers to be born and grown to age I would live for Earth's protection. And after that I would retire to Dragon's Gorge.**

**I half smiled and looked to Tony and Lance, they were discussing something intently, though they glanced at me every few seconds. "You'll get whiplash you keep doing that."**

"**Were you discussing something funny?" Lance asked, his tone terse.**

**I shook my head. "Yes and no. In a way but it was different. You know what I mean?"**

**Lance grinned wryly. "Yeah. Isn't strange it's like a silent conversation of thoughts without being a conscious conversation."**

"**What are you two talking about?" Tony asked**

"**Tamer stuff," Lance and I said in unison. We looked at each other and then laughed. "This is so strange," I said.**

"**I feel really really left out," Tony said. "You two are sitting there talking about who knows what and Aza, you sat there for about three minutes, not moving in the least, with your eyes half closed. Why?"**

"**Tony I am not going to say that out loud. You are aware of why," I said a slight warning in my tone.**

"**Wait a second, he knows? Why did you tell him?" Lance asked in alarm. "Is he?"**

"**No he's not. One of us would have sensed it by now, especially with two of us here, his powers would have made themselves aware," I said through bites ice cream. "And I told him because I only became a Tamer today and I was freaking out and he is my brother and the human I trust most in this world."**

"**Really? You seem pretty in control?" Lance asked surprise lifting his eyebrows.**

"**Water is not as volatile as fire, hotshot, beside I haven't even tried to do anything yet," I said.**

"**Are you insinuating something?" Lance asked**

"**Yeah I am. Water is not as volatile as fire. That's what I'm insinuating now calm down before I shove this cherry up your nose," I snapped.**

_**Ambrosa wishes to know if you are part fire. **_**Ceros asked.**

_**No I am not but when I get mad which doesn't happen often I go straight to furious. **_

**Tony touched my arm. "I think you should calm down too."**

"**Yo Tony!"**

**I groaned. Not him again.**

"**Are you all right, Aza?" Lance asked, keeping his tone low and casual.**

"**I'm just ducky, Lance," I said sarcastically, digging into my ice cream with concentration.**

**Del swung a chair out from the table across from me and straddled it, glancing at Lance before settling his gaze on me. "Hey Aza. Long time no see."**

**I took a slow breath through my nose before speaking, "Hi Del."**

**Kyle pulled out a chair on Tony's other side, considering Lance all the while, trying to figure out if I was with him. "Hi Aza. You know you almost broke my nose?"**

**I looked up at him. Kyle had a developing bruise on his neck where I hit him. "I wasn't anywhere near your nose though it might be an improvement actually but probably not when you tell people you got your ass kicked by a shrimp and a chic no less."**

"**You did that?" Lance asked in amazement.**

"**Yeah I don't get mad that often but when I do I get furious. I was in karate when I was a kid so I use it sometimes especially on a-holes," I explained.**

"**Who's he?" Kyle asked, jerking his chin at Lance.**

**Lance reached across the table offering Kyle his hand to shake. "Lance Carlson. You are?"**

"**Kyle Andres." He ignored Lance's hand and instead looked at Aza. "Who's he to you?"**

"**A friend, now will you lay off before I break your jaw," I snapped.**

"**Ooh like you can hit me a second time, kid," Kyle taunted.**

**Tony's hand flew up before anyone could blink, his eyes had turned hard and his expression was grim. He swung his hand out like he was going to backhand Kyle but stopped millimeters from Kyle's cheek. "I have told you time and time again to lay off my sister. And I'm telling you for the last time to leave her be. Next I will be talking with my fist. And you know I can kick your scrawny ass."**

**Kyle gulped and nodded. "Ah me and Del are gonna hit some more rides so we'll talk to you later." He stood and motioned for Del to follow him. Del shrugged and tossed Tony an apologetic look and followed Kyle at a sluggish pace, like he didn't want to go anywhere.**

"**Thanks Tony and I'm sorry you had to talk to that, Lance," I said pointing at Kyle's receding back.**

"**You're welcome, Pix," Tony said, digging a chunk of chocolate out of his ice cream with a smile.**

"**Nah don't apologize you can't control what he says," Lance shrugged it off with a smile. He shook his head and chuckled.**

_**Actually she can. Water Tamers can control the water in any creatures' body and control them. **_**Ceros said quietly, memories flashing through his head.**

"**What you laughing at?" I asked, considering what Intel said. "Ceros says that I could control people.**

**Lance looked at her strangely. He shrugged at her first question and tapped his temple with a knowing grin. "Can you really control people?"**

"**Yeah but it can cause problems if that power isn't used sparingly," I said repeating Ceros's words as he spoke to me. It was strange, almost like he was thinking for me. I shivered.**

_**I cannot control your mind, Aza, just your body. Do not fear. I wouldn't control you even if I had the chance.**_** Ceros said, his tone worried.**

_**I know that. It was just a passing thought. **_**I replied.**

**I turned my gaze to the sky where the sun was sinking gently below the horizon casting a myriad fiery fingers of color into the azure sky. Reds, yellows, oranges, blues and purple of all shades blended together to form a flawless combination of pure nature. The few clouds in the sky turned into molten cotton haze, crimson ginger on was side and amethyst on the reverse. I sighed and crunched a piece of my ice cream cone down, basking in the peaceful radiance of the evening.**

**Lance looked up swiftly and down again then quickly back up once more. He stared at Aza, silently taking in the sunset. The sun and it's colors lit up her face turning it a peaceful mask of color and her hair into an array of incomparable shades. He tilted his to the side wondering momentarily why his breath caught in his throat when he took in Aza's face. He shrugged and went back to his ice cream; it was pretty much melted by now, and told Ambrosa to be quiet when she tried to point something out about Aza.**

"**When are we supposed to meet Mom and Dad by the entrance?" Tony asked breaking the silence.**

"**I don't know," I said glancing at my watch I kept clipped to my bag. "It's 6 o'clock so we probably should get headed that way. The twins are probably getting cranky and tired."**

"**Twins?" Lance asked, glancing at Aza's belly.**

"**Not mine, you fool," I growled. "My little sisters."**

"**I was kidding." Lance touched my arm. "Chill, okay?" His tone was gentle, odd for someone who seemed so hotheaded but his eyes were worried and caring.**

**I nodded, my bottom lip quivered slightly, much to my irritation. **

"**Aza, what's wrong?" Tony asked.**

**I shook my head and scrubbed a hand across my face. All of what happened today came crashing down on me like a tsunami, Kyle, Lance, finding Ceros, and my ankle. I pushed my bowl away from me. I folded my arms and rested my forehead on my arms. I heard Lance and Tony talking over me. I took a deep breaths.**

"**Just leave her be, she'll be fine. She just needs a minute," Lance said.**

"**She's my sister I want to talk to her," Tony retorted. "Don't act like you know her better than I do."**

"**I don't know her better than you do but I know what she's going through," Lance said.**

"**You don't know anything about her," Tony hissed.**

"**Oh yeah right like you know how it feels to share your mind and body with a **_**dragon**_**," Lance whispered angrily. "She is sharing everything with him. Her thoughts, feelings, and even her family. Her powers are just starting to awaken. It's a lot of stress on the body. I went through it too."**

**Tony opened his mouth and closed it several times before crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair, his mouth set in a angry line.**

**Lance got up and squatted down beside my chair. He put a hand on my knee and gave it a shake. I turned to peek at him with one eye. "I know it's rough. The first day is always the hardest. Especially with all the people around and the noise. It does get easier, honest," Lance said quietly, his voice oddly tender.**

"**Back off," I hissed back, my voice trembling.**

"**I'm just trying to help," Lance said. **

"**Whatever." I smiled shakily. "Thanks. Don't you dare mention this in front of anyone else. I have a rep to protect."**

**Lance laughed and nodded. "Okay I won't. Just as long as you don't tell anyone that I'm actually a nice guy."**

**My smile widened and I held out my hand. "Deal?"**

**Lance took my hand and gripped it firmly. "Deal."**

**With some convincing and some teasing I got Tony to calm down and chill out, returning to his normal self so we could join up with our parents. We walked slowly, three friends unsure of what to say or how to say goodbye. Such a funny thing, goodbyes, they seem so final and yet in a way they're only a new beginning.**

**We paused outside the entrance of the fair grounds, searching for the family. They stood just outside the entrance waiting for a shuttle to our van. The twins were sitting on the ground leaning against each other sleepily, their faces sticky with food and colored with paint. I smiled at the sight.**

"**So now what?" Lance asked, putting into words what was on both of our minds. His hands were in the pockets of his jeans and his shoulders were hunched awkwardly.**

**I shrugged. "Where do you go to school?" I asked, pulling a scrap of paper and a pen out of my bag.**

"**Bentley High. You?" Lance replied as I pushed the scrap of paper into his pocket, next to his hand.**

"**Same. That's my cell number. Call me if you want. Um let me know if you find anything, okay?" I said.**

**Lance nodded.**

"**See you around I guess." I turned away and linked arms with Tony and walked to our parents.**

"**Who was that boy you were talking to?" Mom asked.**

**I looked back at Lance. He was still standing there, where we had parted. I smiled, lifting my hand in a wave. "A new friend."**


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

_(Three weeks later)_

Weekends crawl by like a snail on a hot freeway trying to dodge traffic. I paced the house with nothing to do. I couldn't sit still at all. Mom had the weekend off so I left her with the twins and I ran. It wasn't even track season but I pulled on my running shoes and followed my familiar route to the park a few streets over from my house.

I hated weekends; I really didn't have any friends to hang out with when it wasn't track season. Lance and I don't really know what's going on, we'd see each other in the hall and whatever but we'd just nod or wave to each other, which is even more frustrating because obviously he hasn't found anything yet. I shook my head as if clearing my ears of water and pushed aside all thoughts but putting one foot in front of the other.

We live in a pretty open neighborhood; a kind of Brady Bunch meets Full House type of neighborhood. A suburban type of place without being overly Stepford Wives country club type of place (minus the robotic wives and excessively cheerful baking scenes.). Anyway the park is about 50 acres and full of paths for walking, hiking, biking, running, even horseback riding. There's even a pond we can swim in, nice after a summer run.

Anyway, I was jogging through the park trying to pass the time when I was attacked from behind. It snuck up on me without warning and hit me in the head, damn those killer soccer balls. The ball hit me with a thud and my rhythm stuttered and I fell over a tree root, slamming into the ground.

"Whoa, dude, are you okay?" I felt someone's hands pushing me over and people crowding over me as I tried to catch my breath.

"Back off, can't breath with your mugs in the way," I wheezed, taking the hands offered to help me up. I stood, groaning as my knees stretched.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to, just trying to protect the goal, you know?" a tall blonde haired teen said with a shrug. He had ice blue eyes and tan skin. His face was round in a puppyish way but handsome.

I gave him a lopsided grin. "It's okay. You didn't aim for me so it's cool," I said. I looked down at my knees and my hands, they were torn and bleeding and speckled with dirt. I shrugged and looked around at the rag tag team of soccer players. It was an uneven number. "Need an extra player?"

"Ah are you sure? You just took quite a spill," asked a sporty blonde chick, she looked to be the goalies twin.

I snagged the ball from the hands of a stout black guy next to me and dropped it to the ground, weaving in and out of the crowd with ease. There was five of them, the twins, the black boy, another girl a pale waif of a thing, and tall beanpole shaped boy, all looking my age or maybe a year younger.

_Aza, is this a wise decision?_ Ceros asked, hearing the team follow behind me with me ears.

I looked up briefly noting the kids who tried to steal the ball and those who hung back looking at the ball hopefully and trying to catch my eye. I moved around the opposing team members with ease flowing like the water that was my calling. I passed the ball to the sporty black haired chic and moved to the opposing goal trying to be discreet. _As a matter of fact most likely not but it's fun. Though we probably should be practicing my control and whatever with my powers._

_It is not just whatever stuff. The basics are the most important thing for you to know. With the basics comes a whole new level of prospect. _Ceros said, his voice rough with irritation. _We must find the others._

_That's what I'm doing, Ceros. I felt a vibe from the goalie. Besides we've been practicing every free chance we get for the last week. Why can't I just have some fun? _I bounced the ball off my chest, cupping my body slightly to roll it down to my feet. I dodged an enemy and slammed my foot into the ball aiming for the top corner of the goal.

_You call this fun? _Ceros asked as someone's elbow suck into my ribs. _Was it a Tamer vibe or one of human attraction? _Ceros asked.

I frowned. _Tamer vibe, thank you very much._ I pictured him dissolving into mist and disappearing into the crystal at my neck. A breeze blew through the field almost breaking my concentration but I closed my eyes and managed to put Ceros in the crystal. I sighed, my head feeling oddly buoyant, as I bent and took the ball in my grasp.

Sounds came to my ears and people were cheering. I looked around, feeling confused. "Damn, shorty, you're a natural!" said the black kid I had stolen the ball from.

I smiled and felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned coming face to face with the goalie. He held out his hand, "Good game. Did you even aim on that shot?"

I gingerly took his fingers, the sting returning to my scraped palms. "No I just kinda winged it. I used to play soccer in grade school but I gave it up for track when I hit middle school."

"What grade are you in anyway?" the tall beanpole kid rested his elbow on the top of my head. The sun played across his bare chest and arms highlighting the lean muscles defining his torso. His brilliant blues eyes caught mine and I raised an eyebrow at him. He grinned with all his teeth, the smile stretching his handsome face into something you'd see in a Roman museum.

I stepped to the side, leaving him just the way he had been leaning. "Junior. How about you, Beanpole?"

He laughed. "Same. Bentley?"

I winced. "Yep."

"Oh ah right intros," Beanpole said when the pale waif of a girl poked him in the back. He pointed to her first, "That's Becca. The black kid is Riegal we call him Rye. Ah the blonde is Brenna and that's her twin Rob and I'm Mike but call me Beanpole I like that better."

Riegal stepped forward and took my hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." His voice was deep and smooth, like water over moss. His skin was a light brown, the color of toffee. I think he was mulatto but I wasn't about to ask I was to blown away when he bowed low over my head and kissed it. Rye's eyes, the color of black coffee, danced with a mischievous light that I couldn't help but smile.

I curtsied in a mocking manner, playing along with his display. "I'm Azalee, Aza for short."

Brenna elbowed him in the ribs and he released my hand, stepping out of Brenna's way laughing. "Don't mind him he's a hopeless romantic. He reads books more than he talks." She offered a strong calloused hand. I straightened and took it. She discreetly flexed her biceps as we shook hands. She was the definition of a tomboy but the type you'd see on the cover of Sports Illustrated for having won the most volleyball tournaments or something similar. Her was held back in a no nonsense ponytail and she wore a pair of shorts and a snug tank top. Her eyes lit with a warm light when Rye put his arms around her waist.

"But you like it so don't complain," He said with a chuckle.

Rob shook his head. "Ok lovebirds get a cave would ya?" He pushed his fingers through his curly mop of black hair. His skin was deeply tanned and his bare chest rippled with subtly sculpted muscle and his eyes, a light green, held an unnecessary apology. He looked down into my eyes and then to the ground. "I'm really really sorry about catching you with the ball."

I lifted a hand in a gesture of surrender. "No harm no foul. If I had been paying attention it wouldn't have happened. The fault is mine." I juggled the ball on my knee, bouncing it between legs without really looking at what I was doing.

Becca stepped forward, pale and thin. Her gray eyes wide and shy on the surface but if one was to look into them for too long you'd get lost. Her short cap of brown hair trailed around her face, framing her delicately pretty features. "You know my older brother Kyle, right?"

I nodded. "No offense but unfortunately."

"When he went to the fair he got his ass kicked and he won't tell anyone who. You're brother is friends with him so I was hoping that you might know," Becca said.

I laughed. "Sorry I don't think I can help. I was sworn to secrecy."

Becca shrugged. "If you say so but look how about we do a one on one. First one with five shots wins. I win you tell me what you know and if you win then we all get pizza."

I nodded, "Sounds good." _Ceros, can you make my palms scab over so they don't hurt so much? Just enough so they still look new but without the pain. My knees too, if you can? _I asked silently summoning him from the crystal as I looked from Becca to the field as if studying a strategy.

A cool tingle swept through my hands and knees, the pain eased to a near undetectable ache and I gently brushed my hands together summoning some water from the air around me to wash the grit from them.

_You're all set, Aza. It's not the goalie that gave off the vibe. It was another I can't tell yet though. _Ceros said. He was agitated by the presence of another so near but so out of reach, the winds were active too.

I pulled my hair back in a bun and nodded once. "Let's go."

The rest of the group fanned out to sit in the shade of a huge maple, Rob standing up and leaning against the trunk, his eyes squinted against the sun and watching Becca and me intently.

Becca and I flipped a coin for first possession, she won and so the game began. Becca may have been a waif but damn she quick but predictable. She would always try the same moves but in a different order well sometimes. It wasn't hard to get the ball away from her. She favored her left side; it was weaker than her right, not as balanced. And she seemed to have stiff ankles, making it hard for her to juggle the ball between her feet.

I immediately went for her goal but not in what one would call a straight shoot. I decided to play with her a bit. Little things started happening, the ball twitched an inch to the side when I went to kick it and dust blew in my eyes or a spot of slick mud appeared under Becca's feet where none had been before.

We played face to face almost all the time, our feet moving in and out of each other's so the others had a hard time telling who was who. It was a while before the ball made it past the center line toward either goal. Becca scored first with a glancing bounce off the top of the goal. Beanpole tossed the ball to me and I headed off to Becca's goal before she had moved her feet.

We fought over the ball just outside the goalie box for seemed an eternity, keeping careful watch on our upper bodies, not wanting to get them in the way. I finally managed to slip the ball between her legs and feint my way around her to score a deep shot in the corner of the net.

I don't know how much time had passed but we were both sweating buckets, and panting like racing greyhounds. The sun's heat was merciless for September and the wind was inconsistent. I was tiring but I couldn't show it. Becca had the ball. Ceros was watching intensely in my head, enjoying the game almost as much as I was, which was sort of funny. Funny because he had never put any interest into anything remotely human except for the food I cooked now and then.

The game went on like this for a while longer before we stopped momentarily, our hands on our knees gasping for breath when the game was tied two on two. Cheers could be heard from under the maple tree and Becca and me just looked at each other and grinned. We took off running, Beanpole had tossed the ball to the middle for us, and we both wanted it.

I went wide while Becca took a straight shot, I darted toward the ball trying to dodge the wind that kept coming up and Becca was struggling to watch her footing on the grass that had become quite slick. We reached the ball at the same time but her foot came just slightly ahead of mine. I went under her foot she came down on top of mine, sending her off balance.

Becca's foot glanced off the side of the ball sending it spinning toward my goal. The ball stopped inches from scoring. Her hand flicked out just as mine did freezing the ball of air she had sent toward it in a crystalline ball of ice. It fell to the ground with a smash, the ice melting back into the earth and the air dissipating. And the ball never moved as we feel to the ground, our legs tangle and chest heaving

The group rushed over to see if we were okay but not before I managed to sputter, "Tamers never play fair, eh?"

Becca starred at me for one hard second trying to figure out if I was razzing her or not. She seemed to decide not because she grasped my hand and nodded to winded to speak.

I sat up and untangled my legs from Becca's just as the group reached us. I laid back, with my legs splayed, still breathing hard.

"Damn you girls play a hard game. Who buys pizza?" Rob asked, dropping down beside me.

Becca and me exchanged glances and shrugged. "We'll split the bill seeing as it's a tie," Becca said, shaking her head at the soccer ball precariously balanced just outside the goal. "I could've sworn that thing was gonna go in."

I looked over at Becca, my eyes twinkling and we both burst out laughing.

_I am proud of you, Aza, you picked her out faster than I did. It is Sailya AfterGlide, air dragon. She sends her greetings._ Ceros said softly. _Danzig says hello also_

_The Earth dragon? He hasn't been found yet I didn't think. _I thought to Ceros, fiddling with a piece of grass while the others talked about pizza and the game.

_The boy found you, Aza. He meant to startle you with the soccer ball not hit you with it._

I swallowed a gasp and looked up at Rob, his eyes had a solid reptilian look to them. Danzig's eyes! Then in the blink of an eye, Rob's eyes changed back to normal and he grinned.

_What about Droxyl?_ I asked Ceros.

_We will talk later first I want to know what this pizza is._ Ceros said

I shook my head and took Rob's offered hand as he pulled me to my feet but he didn't stop there. He swung me up on his back in one fluid motion so I was riding piggyback. Rob flashed Beanpole a wink and he did the same to Becca.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I stink bad," I said, resting my elbows on his shoulders and cupping my chin in my hands.

"It's a girly sweat smell so it's okay besides you deserve to stink, you played one hell of a game, short stuff," Rob said with a shrug

I poked him in the back of the head. "No short jokes. Let me know if I get too heavy."

"You heavy?" Rye laughed. "No offense but you're tiny."

I mock-scowled, pretending to pout and stuck my tongue out at him, much to the amusement of the rest of the crew. I glanced at Becca and she was resting her chin on Beanpole's head with a look of complete and utter bliss on her face. The look was duplicated on Beanpole's face. I smiled and glanced down at Brenna, she was flirting and tossing the ball back and forth to Rye.

I folded my hands back on the top of Rob's head and rested my chin on my hands, settling into the easy rhythm of Rob's walk. He wasn't saying anything but it was a comfortable silence, one of camaraderie and contented spirits.

We arrived at the pizza parlor and it was obvious the five frequented the place often because the waiter shouted to them from the kitchen through the delivery window that their usual table was open. By this time Becca and I were walking and I followed everyone to a corner booth.

Beanpole and Becca slid in first and then Brenna and Rye so that left me next to next to Rob who was beside Rye. I looked over to Becca who was making googly eyes at Beanpole so I looked at my menu.

"What are you going to order?" Rob asked.

"A grilled cheese and bacon with French fries and a chocolate sundae with all the fixings," I said. "You?"

"Where are putting all that food?" Brenna asked incredulously.

"My mouth and then my stomach and if there's overflow then it travels to my hollow leg," I said casually.

The five stared at me for a second trying to figure out if I was serious or not. They decided not and burst out laughing as the waitress walked up to the table with a tray of drinks.

"Hope I don't look that funny today," the waitress said setting the drinks on the table. "I got your drinks ahead of time. But I didn't get anything for the little lady." She turned to me expectedly, a smile on her face and in her eyes.

"Um I will have a orange soda," I said, glancing at the menu.

"What to eat?" the waitress asked.

"I will have a grilled bacon and cheese sandwich and French fries. And the rest of them decided on a pizza to share," I said, nodding to Beanpole to pick up where I left off.

"One large, deep crust pizza with everything but anchovies and the kitchen sink," Beanpole said with a wink.

The waitress wrote it all down with a nod. "I'll be right back with your drink and your food will be along shortly." And she walked off, a purposeful bounce to her step.

We laughed and talked the time away, the waitress coming back with my drink a couple minutes after she left. I was even included in the conversation, which was neat. Well I was forced into the conversation when I got quiet, people kept asking my opinion and questions about me.

We got on the subject of mythical creature when Rye and Beanpole were contrasting a new video game and Brenna asked if such creature's even existed, and they were talking about dragons.

I swapped an eye roll with Becca when Beanpole said no and a shrug with Rob when Rye said yes they do.

"Do you think they do, Aza?" Beanpole asked.

"Yes as a matter of fact I do," I said. "But not where we can find them. We all know the myths about dragons the whole I'm a knight and you're a dragon so I have to kill you type of myths. What about the ancient Chinese myths where the dragons were protectors of the earth? These days they are supposedly hidden away in the mountains away from humankind now the sight of a dragon would put a lot of people into hysterics. This world is too unstable for them away." I paused measuring the expression on the faces of the gang. They were shocked and skeptical.

"At one point dragons ruled this Earth and protected it but when the humans came the dragons were pushed out. Now if dragons were to appear and breathe enough fire the heat would destroy our ozone layer and earth would fry."

"Whoa that actually sounded convincing," Brenna said.

"My Uncle used to study myths. He was a scientists of sorts," I said with a shrug.

"What do you mean he was?" Rob asked

"Well he developed a disease due to the chemicals he was using to try and find a way to make gold and he died," I explained, looking at my hands.

"Like what kind of disease?" Brenna asked.

"The doctors never knew. It killed him before they could find out what it was. Uncle Ty wouldn't tell them what he had been using for chemicals either," I said. "He was a private type of person and it ended up killing him." Much to my dismay a tear rolled down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly but not before Rob noticed, the others were to busying talking about sicknesses.

Rob touched my hand and gave it a squeeze. He opened his mouth to speak but Beanpole announced the arrival of the food first.

I grabbed my sandwich before it got lost in the scramble and inhaled the scent of bacon. My stomach growled loud enough for the whole table to hear it even over the noises of pizza being passed around.

"Jeez kid, eat much?" Beanpole asked as I dug into my French fries.

I just nodded and grinned.

"So where do you live?" Brenna asked, picking bits of black olive of her slice of pizza and popping them into her mouth.

"Hope Ave. It's a couple streets over from the park," I put my sandwich down and took a sip of my soda. "Me, my dad and mom, my older brother Tony and my two little twin sisters."

"Wow full house," Rye added, throwing an olive at Becca. She squealed and threw it back.

"Yeah," I said, lowering my eyes and picking my sandwich up again but my appetite had left me. _What the hell am I doing? I'm going to be leaving soon and I'm making new friends? I'm an idiot._

_Do not despair, Aza, you are only human. _Ceros said. _Are you going to sample any of that pizza? It smells good._

_No I don't like green peppers. _I took a bite of my sandwich and opened my eyes without realizing I had closed them.

"Are you all right, Aza?" Becca asked, a knowing expression on her face.

I suppressed a grin and nodded. "Yeah I'm fine just a little light headed."

Rob stared at me as if he didn't believe me. He touched my leg under the table and gave me a hard look. I glared back, knowing full well Rob knew what had happened, and returned to my sandwich and French fries. I didn't move his hand from my leg.

"Hey Aza you want some help with those fries?" Rye asked, casually reaching his hand toward my plate.

I suppressed a growl. _Whoa where'd that come from?_ I asked myself "No I'll eat them."

Rye stuck out his lower lip and tried to beg. "Please?"

I popped a fry in my mouth; the only thing left of my sandwich was a few bits of crust. "No and no because I know your going to ask again so bug off."

Rye leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Meanie."

I shook my head. "Eat more pizza."

"Aza you still want the sundae? I'll buy," Rob offered.

I smiled. "No thanks I got to get headed after lunch. I've got a meeting to go to," I glanced at Becca and met Rob's gaze with my own.

"You sure?" Rob asked.

"Yes." I poured ketchup on my plate and dipped a few fries in it before eating them.

"So do you want to come back and play with us tomorrow?" Brenna asked, looking hopeful.

"Um I'd love to honest but I can't I have to baby sit my sisters," I said, keeping my eyes on my plate. Then I jumped; the theme song from Jurassic Park was coming from my cell phone. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket and looked at the caller ID and groaned. "Excuse me for a minute and Rye don't even think about touching those fries." I stood and walked out the front door bringing my phone to my ear as I went.

"What do you want?" I asked rudely.

"That's no way to speak to your grandma, Lee- Lee," my grandmother's pompous voice crackled over the line.

"I'm in the middle of lunch with my friends. I can't come over today or tomorrow, I have to baby sit the twins so Mom can go shopping and Dad can fix the snow blower," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral.

"You never want to come see me anymore," Grandma whined.

"Gran you always call out of the blue if we can set something up a day ahead then maybe I can come over but not this week, okay? I have stuff to do after school," I said. _This woman never ceases to irritate me. _"I have to go. Bye. Love you." I hung up as soon as the word bye came from the other end of the line and went back into the restaurant.

A quick shuffling came from our table in the corner as I reached it and Rye and Beanpole were visibly holding back laughter. I glanced at the rest of the occupants, Brenna held up her hands, showing she had nothing to do with it, Rob was shaking his head at Rye and Beanpole and Becca looked annoyed.

I looked down at my plate where the only French fries left on it, spelt out the words HA HA. "Really?" I stood next to Rob as Rye and Beanpole broke out laughing. I glanced at Becca who nudged her half drank soda toward me. I looked at mine it was at about the same level. Before anyone spoke I picked up what was left of my soda and Becca's and dumped one on Rye's head and the other on Beanpole's. The laughter froze on their faces as I set the glasses down. "Ha ha," I said, my voice low and acidic.

The other three looked from me to them. Their own expression caught between amusement and shock.

"I had a great time and thanks for letting me play with you," I dropped cash on the table, my half of the lunch bill. "See ya around." I turned and walked out, my shoulders stiff and my knees aching from my fall. I took my cell out of my pocket to check to time.

_That was unnecessary. _Ceros commented, his tone disapproving.

_So, it made me feel better._

_That's not the point, Aza, Danzig and Sailya are back there and they're badgering me to convince you to go back._

_Why is it that you can hear them and I can't?_ I asked, turning down the sidewalk toward home.

_I may share your body but I have my own mind. All dragons can speak through minds, that is mostly how we communicate._

I shrugged. _Okay well I am not going back. I am going home, taking a shower and watching movies in my room until my eyeballs fall out of my head._

_Aza, that's not fair to me, you or the other Tamers and their dragons. Please let's just go back. _

_No._

_Aza please._

_No._

_Why?_

_Because I want to go home._

_Is it because that boy ah Rob is his name, thinks you're pretty?_

_NO! I just want to go home. _I rubbed my forehead and glanced at the time again. Barely anytime had passed. _Can we fly the way you showed me?_

_I suppose, if we go back to the restaurant._

I crossed my arms over my chest and continued walking, considering my options, which were about nil. I stopped walking, an idea blooming in my mind, and closed my eyes, picturing myself in my mind. I pictured myself turning into Ceros, my body joining with his, his wings, lifting us off the ground and into the azure sky. A breeze blew strong in my face and my eyes fluttered open, to see the sidewalk where I had been walking growing smaller and smaller. I nearly screamed.

_No! Close your eyes and finish the change. You're doing great, little human! _Ceros's voice whispered in my mind

I did as I was told, again picturing my half dragon body changing and shifting to full dragon. I opened my eyes once more and sensed a change in me. I was lighter and much more flexible. My eyesight had changed to that of a predatory bird and my hearing was the same equivalent. I felt light and buoyant. Muscles twitched in my shoulders and I rose higher. I turned my head to see wings that looked like the fins of an angelfish holding me in the air. I blinked several times. _I can't believe it. I'm a dragon!_

"Yes little one, you are doing a fine job," a raspy voice said. The voice sounding like it was floating next to me.

I looked about wildly. "Ceros?" I asked, my words rough and low.

He appeared next to me, half the size of what he had been when Tony and I had seen him by the barns. "Yes?"

"How? I don't understand," I said, spreading my wings to catch a warm burst of air that lifted me higher into the sky.

Ceros followed with ease. "Tamers have a special power. They can take their dragon's body for a time and the dragon can form but only in half size. The dragon still has all of their powers but their strength is cut in half. On the other hand, well paw," Ceros lifted his paw in reference. "The Tamer's power is intensified twofold."

I beat my wings and aimed for a larger cloud, I dove through it, in and out for a few minutes, using my wings to sculpt the mass of frozen water. I caught a thermal and hovered next to Ceros.

The cloud's shape now resembled a giant mountain. A gorge surrounded by a ring of switchbacks, impenetrable by anything on foot. Only the most agile of creatures could make their way to the entrance of the gorge, a hidden place nestled in the encircling peaks.

I glanced at Ceros without saying a word. He was staring at the sculpture with wonder and another unidentifiable emotion on his face.

"Perhaps, young human, perhaps we will go there. To make the journey we must find the others first," Ceros said quietly, his voice husky.

"But you said before-," Ceros cut me off in mid sentence.

"I know what I said before however things have changed. We must meet with the others first," he said, lifting his nose to the wind, a seriousness to him that hadn't been there before. "Join my body and we'll go to your home."

"But Ceros what abo-," I stopped seeing Ceros's expression. I dove through the cloud I had sculpted once more turning it into a normal cloud and hovered just in front of it. I closed my eyes picturing my dragon self in my mind, watching my dragon body as it dissipated into mist and coated Ceros's scales, disappearing into him in a millisecond.

When I opened my eyes again I was seeing through Ceros. If I had a body I would have frowned. It felt so strange to not be able to look or go where I wanted. I pressed my lips together, hypothetically speaking of course.

_Do not despair, my dear, you will have your body back in a few minutes. Ambrosa is making good progress with the boy. You like him, don't you?_

I pursed my lips, theoretically, and shrugged. _He's okay. Kind of a butthead. But no I'm not attracted to him._

Ceros nodded. _The other one and the girl. Ah Danzig's Tamer, the one who touched your leg? Do you find him trustworthy?_

_I barely know him, Ceros!_

_You like Sailya's Tamer though?_

_Yeah Becca's awesome. Why are you asking me this?_

_Because it is time for use to meet. Droxyl hasn't been found and the eight of us need to meet and discuss what is going on._

_Well jeez that would be helpful seeing as even I don't know the full story! _I snapped, not looking forward to go out again.

_Not today I will talk with the other dragons and see what is convenient for them and then we'll meet. Perhaps by then Droxyl will join us._

I didn't reply. Just watched through Ceros's eyes as we dissolved into mist once more and rode the breeze that was blowing slightly through my partly open window. I reformed in the center of my room, the mist that I once was recollecting back into itself to reform back into my human body.

I turned to my door and opened it coming face to face with my mother. I jumped startled and she nearly screamed.

"Christ Aza when did you get home?" she asked clutching her chest and fumbling with the clean laundry in her hand.

"A few minutes ago. Guess you didn't see me." I shrugged and took my clothes from her hands. I set them on my bed and slid out past Mom, who was still standing in the doorway. "I'm going to take a shower. I stink." I kicked my running shoes back into my room and padded to the bathroom in my socks.

"Hey Aza, wait second." Mom started walking back toward me. I paused in the bathroom door. "What happened to your knees?"

"Oh that." I looked down at my knees. They were dirt streaked and barely scabbed and starting to ooze blood. The healing Ceros had done hadn't lasted long after playing with Becca. "I fell when I was running in the park, tripped over a tree root."

"Are you all right?" Mom asked, moving toward me.

I stepped further into the bathroom so only my head was sticking out into the hallway, forcing her to stop a few steps from where she had started. "Yeah I'm fine. Don't worry Mom."

"Okay just make sure you wash them out good," Mom said as she turned around and walked around the corner. I didn't move until I heard her voice talking to the twins downstairs.

I closed the door to the bathroom and locked it. The twins had a habit of walking in on people. I leaned against the door and breathed a sigh of relief. _How much time do we have?_

_We leave as soon as we find Droxyl and her Tamer. I'm not sure. I can't reach Droxyl so she hasn't even made it out of her crystal yet._

I moved about the bathroom in an idle way, undressing and dropping my clothes in the hamper before starting the water for my shower. I adjusted the temperature to as hot as I could possibly stand. I glanced in the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door before climbing into the tub and closing the curtain. _Boy my knees look awful. _

_I am sorry. You didn't give me much time to do healing before you took off again. The way you were running and chasing that ball around upset the little healing I could do. Ceros _said.

_Do me a favor?_ I asked him, closing my eyes before stepping under the spray and letting the water massage the knots out of my shoulders.

_Yes what is it? _

_Get out of my head._ I thought to him. I opened my eyes to watch a hamster sized Ceros form in he palm of my hand.

"You flew well, little human," Ceros said, settling on the shampoo rack stuck to the wall of shower stall. I plucked my bottle of berry-scented shampoo from the rack, and splashed water at Ceros. He opened his mouth and breathed an arcticly cold fog at me in retaliation.

I grinned and held the shampoo in one hand while I took my other hand and moved it in a circular motion, holding my fingers in a claw-like shape. A bubble of water appeared just in front of my hand and engulfed the icy fog Intel had breathed. The water moved around the fog so the bubble didn't freeze, the fog at its center moved about lazily.

I dropped the shampoo bottle and used my other hand to change the shape of the sphere. I moved my hands farther apart and the globe widened the fog at its core moving in response to the new area to move. I moved my hands faster, freezing some parts of the oval I had formed and shaping other parts of it to the image I had in my mind.

Ceros watched, a look of pride and curiosity intermixing on his face as he tried to figure out what was shaping between my hands.

In truth I didn't know what I was doing. There was a memory, an image of sorts something a past Water Tamer had figured out how to do. The image was propelling me and I couldn't help but try it to. My hands stopped moving and I held them on either side of the object my hands cupped slightly.

I had formed an orb of frozen water that was missing its top and the jagged edges of it looked like craggy mountain peaks but its center was hollow and filled about halfway with the swirling icy fog Ceros had breathed. I stared at it and whispered a name in another language an ancient dead language that existed nowhere else but in the minds and memories of Tamers and dragons alike. Its name like its origin has been forgotten but it has been the way Tamers and dragon's have communicated for ages before English could be even thought of and until now it had been forgotten.

"_Solbrekthe_," I said the word coming out in a gargled hiss. The fog at the center of the orb glowed, sparks emitting from it eerily for several minutes and then it stopped and the fog disappeared. I frowned.

"Aza what are you-," Ceros's scold was cut short. An image jumped from the orb and rose and a miniature form of a human girl about a foot tall walked in place going absolutely nowhere laughing and tossing her hair with her invisible friends.

I stared in wonder as they iridescent figure moved about with really moving. "Is that Droxyl's Tamer?" I asked

"I am not sure. You tell me, Aza," Ceros said hovering close to the figure watching the girl curiously. "How did you do this?"

"From a memory and the ancient language," I said my hands trembling slightly, making the image waver.

"You are going to tire yourself out," Ceros said. "We will try this again later when you have more time and energy. Can you dissolve the spell?"

"I don't know." I watched the girl figure. She looked familiar as if I had seen her somewhere before. I took a deep breath and spoke again. "_Ehtkerblos_."

My arms dropped and my shoulders screamed. I whimpered as I bent down to pick up my bottle of shampoo and stood again.

Ceros watched me carefully. "Pour some of that on your head and I'll do it for you," he offered, growing to the size of a Pomeranian.

I did as bidden and leaned forward to put the bottle back on my rack as Intel sat on my shoulders and gently massaged the soap into my scalp and hair. I sighed as he used his back feet to massage my shoulders. My eyelids began to fall as a quiet dragon song came from his throat, a tepid and calming melody.

I barely remember what happened after Ceros washed my hair for me. I was vaguely aware of washing my body and staggering out of the shower. Did I even shut the water off? I struggled to dry myself off even the slightest bit, my arms and back screeching in pain. Ceros had to dry my back and hair for me; I think he brushed my hair too. I shrugged into my bathrobe, an oasis of warm fleecy terry cloth. I tottered down the short distance to my bedroom and shut my door. Where did Ceros go? I wondered idly as I collapsed onto my bed. I bundled my pillow up under my cheek and closed my eyes.

______

"I don't know, Tony. Honest I don't. She's been sleeping like a rock for the past thirteen hours. I can't wake her," I heard Ceros' worried rasp from somewhere by my window. The words flowed into my head and out without truly connecting to me. I heard the words without knowing their meaning.

"I just told Mum that she doesn't feel well and wants to be left alone. She's so busy keeping the twins from driving her crazy, she's not really worried," Tony said, his voice drifting to my ears from the foot of my bed.

"I haven't really tried hard anyway. That spell she did was far far beyond what she should be doing right now. I haven't seen a spell like that since my great-great-great-great-great-great-grand cousin was a Tamer's dragon."

"How long ago was that? Did you actually see it?"

"Roughly six centuries or so, perhaps seven, and no I didn't. I only have my cousin's memories."

There was silence for a couple of minutes as Tony processed this information. "His memories? Does Aza have his memories too?"

"Her. It was a female Tamer and no she only has the Tamer's memories not the dragons. That's probably where she learned that spell is from the memories."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Not to you," Ceros said. I felt pressure on my pillow, and Ceros' breath on my cheek. He curled in a ball in my hair and laid his head on mine. He couldn't have been any bigger than a Chihuahua to do that. My face twitched picturing the tiny dog in the form of a dragon. "Dragons and Tamers are born with their ancestors memories," he finished.

Tony remained silent. "Did you put her to sleep? Why does she have their memories if they are dead?"

"That is absurd. I only sang to her and she responded to it. This is what happened. I was only trying to help her. Each human responds to dragon song different." Ceros shifted, probably settling his unblinking gaze on Tony while he tried to explain. "The dragons and Tamers of the past are not dead as you say. To humans death means one is gone forever, no longer reachable by any means. But to dragons death is just another journey, a way of passing on the imprint they left on the planet. Death to dragon means their life purpose has been completed and they can rest in the place of dragons where if necessary another dragon or Tamer could contact them."

"Where is it? Do Tamers go there too?"

"It is a place far far away from here. And yes Tamers go there too. Death to a Tamer would mean demise to the dragon. Natural causes to a Tamer would mean the dragon has a choice, continue living or join the Tamer in the Dragon's Gorge. However if the Tamer is killed then the dragon would die in the same instant but if the dragon dies first then the Tamer would live on and die of old age without their powers."

"Can a dragon die of old age?"

Ceros laughed. "Oh dear Tony, you listen to far too many fairytales! Dragons can't live forever, we are not immortal that would cause too many problems. Our life expectancy is only a few millennia and we're only allowed to breed once in a millennia. Besides dragons have the ability to chose death if they wish. It is a complex ritual but it can happen if the dragon wishes. Many choose to die shortly after they breed and their offspring is mature."

Tony shifted slightly. "I don't understand why anyone would do that. Life is precious. But is the whole life expectancy thing different for Tamer dragons because you're linked to a human?"

"I understand. It is all right. It's hard to truly understand but a Tamer's and a dragon's life force is so closely intertwined that if one is to suffer then the other would also." Ceros paused, considered Tony's question about the difference in lives. "I would have to say yes if necessary but usually another generation of Tamers is in place before the life expectancy of a dragon and related Tamer is at its end." Ceros hesitated before speaking, trying to word his sentence. "Life is precious but when you have the ability to live for several thousand years life can be wearing. Tony humans can only live for perhaps eighty or so years, yes?"

"Yeah but what about you're cousin? Wasn't he only around for like six hundred years? So if you were injured Aza would feel it too?" Tony moved slightly, getting more comfortable at the foot of my bed.

"Tony let's finish this topic first." Ceros cleared his throat. "Now multiply those eighty years by fifty. That's four thousand years, Tony. Fifty human lives that dragons have the ability to live. Seeing a world that you once ruled and lived in freedom on, grow and change to suit the needs of humans. Since dragons have been around so have humans, there we have always been Tamers and every dragon life is harder and harder to live because we dragons know the beginning and end of all our ancestors. From the very first dragon of my element to the dragon before me, I know how each of them lived and died and how hard their life was. The life of a dragon is difficult beyond your comprehension and its human equivalent is laying here between us, Tony."

Tony was silent for several long moments, considering the information he was just given. "So you choose to die when you feel like is too much?"

Ceros sighed again. "No. You are being too literal. Dragons choose their end when they feel they have lived a full life."

"Oh." Tony was quiet for a minute. "So can Aza do the same thing? Choose to die I mean?"

"If she wishes so yes, that choice is within Aza's ability."

"Oh." Tony was quiet again. "Are all dragons Tamers?"

"No all dragons have a certain extent of their element's power but a Tamer's dragon has those powers threefold."

Tony was silent this time, rolling a corner of my robe between his fingers. "Oh."

"Do you wish to continue or this all too much?"

"Ah I guess we can continue," Tony said. "Ah yeah so your cousin. And if you got cut would Aza also?"

"No she would feel the pain of it or she may bruise. My cousin had also lived for two thousands years prior to meeting his Tamer."

"Is that old for a dragon?" I felt Tony move again and then his hand on my forehead. "So she really is a part of you?"

"More so than you think." Ceros laughed, "No it is about middle age for a dragon. Five to six thousand years are old for a dragon."

"Why was she chosen to be a Tamer?"

"Why do humans have toes?" Ceros countered. I could hear the smile in his words.

"Without toes we humans would just fall forward if we tried to stand up straight or walk." Tony moved his hand and sat back down at the end of the bed.

"Then herein lies your answer."

"You would fall over without her?"

Ceros chuckled. "No." He nuzzled my cheek. "Without her the balance of the world and the elements would, as you say, fall over."

"I don't understand."

Ceros sighed a gentle sigh, like an old wise man telling the same advice but in a different way several times over. "Aza is a guardian, spirit and protector of Earth and the water Earth holds. Without her the balance would be off. Also as a guardian of Earth it is her duty to protect Earth from threats."

"Like plagues of locusts or something?"

"No, Tony, like enemy planets."

"Aliens?"

"Of sorts, yes."

"This whole situation is complicated. I never thought I would end up learning the life cycles of dragons or that I'd be square in the center of a 21st century fairy tale/science fiction story," Tony laughed incredulously. "I never thought that I'd have to think about the fact that I may end losing my best friend either," he added quietly.

"Aza is strong and stubborn, more tenacious than any past Water Tamer. She will fight and survive. You are not losing her at all," Ceros said, standing and hopping over my still form to stand on Tony's leg.

"She's not the same. She's even changed in the weeks since she found you. She's more free and unworrying than ever. She's even refusing to watch the twins so Mom can work late. She has never done that before," Tony said.

"Aza is more in touch with her powers now with me and the crystal at her side. Water is resilient and strong, water is hard contain and even harder to keep tame," Ceros explained. "Your sister may change but she will always be who she is."

"But she's not the little girl who used to come to me because she was scared of thunder storms or she thought she heard a monster in her closet," Tony said, his voice cracking.

"Aza is a young woman now with a mission and a tradition to uphold, not a child," Ceros said, his voice gentle but firm.

"This thing you call tradition, for lack of a better word, is going to put her in danger!" Tony said, his voice rising slightly.

"No and yes. Without her all of human kind is in danger. Even the dragons who don't have human partners may be in danger." Ceros stopped and moved toward me again, resting his chin on my side. "I do apologize for the use of the term I suppose adventure would be more fitting."

"Not really, Ceros," I croaked. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and my throat felt waterless.

I tried to move but it felt as if my limbs were made of marble. I groaned and let out the breath I had been holding. Ceros' tongue flicked out to lap my cheek. _Aza, oh little human, we have been worried about you. How are you feeling?_

"Like I got thrown through the wringer," I said. I groaned and opened my eyes. I moved my head and slowly rolled over. My muscles screamed.

"You okay, Pix?" Tony asked, oblivious to my previous statement.

"Yeah but help me up I have got to pee," I slowly swung my legs over the edge of the bed, while Ceros moved further up on my pillow. Tony held his hands out to me and I grabbed them and he pulled my up. I bit my lip and stretched, my back crackled and popped the entire length of my spine. I felt the muscles in my back loosen slightly. I sighed and shuffled to the bathroom, walking much like an old woman.

I came out of the bathroom and almost got ran over by Lilly and Lucy chasing each other up the hall way, laughing hysterically. I stepped back quickly, bumping into the wall. I cringed, the small movement jarring my tense muscles. I whimpered just as Mom hurried by after the twins.

"Oh hi honey. I didn't know you were up. How are you feeling?" Mom asked, pushing strands of hair off her forehead.

"Like I got ran over by dad's big rig," I answered, leaning against the door casing with a groan.

"Hard run yesterday?" Mom asked, putting the back of her hand on my forehead.

I smiled ruefully. "Yeah hard run."

Mom frowned at the sarcasm in my voice and removed her hand from my forehead. "Well you don't have a fever. Maybe you should take a hot bath and try to relax." As Mom spoke a shriek came from my room.

I turned and hurried to my room, much faster than I thought I could in my current state. I rounded the corner through my doorway to find the twins fighting over my cell phone, which was ringing yet again. Mom was right behind me. Tony had gone and Ceros was nowhere in sight. I breathed out hard through my nose before speaking. "Lilly! Lucy!" I barked their names making them jump in surprise and freeze. "What are you doing?"

Lilly pointed at my phone, which had by this time ended up on the floor. "It was making pretty music and I wanted it first."

Lucy poked her sister in the belly. "No I wanted it first!"

"Neither of you are having it," I retorted. I bent slowly and picked up the phone. "This belongs to me and I what have I told you about things that belong to me?"

Lilly and Lucy pouted. "Not to touch anything that belongs to you without permission," Lucy sulked.

"And not to come into your room without you in here with us," Lilly added.

"Exactly. So please go with Mom so I can rest. I don't feel good," I said, putting my phone on my nightstand.

Lilly and Lucy obediently followed Mom's finger pointing down the hall to there room. "You seem to have lost patience with them in the past week."

I turned to the window before responding. "When you went back to work I became the twins personal nanny. It's about time you start taking care of your own kids." I turned back to face my mother, meeting her angry horror struck gaze with my own ice-cold unblinking stare.

"What brought on this behavior?" Mom asked, her words clipped and terse.

"What behavior, me telling the truth or the realization that I'm not going to watch the twins anymore?" I asked.

"This late teenage rebellion, I mean." Mom crossed her arms over her chest; leaning to one side in what she seemed to think was a nonchalant stance.

I mirrored her stance. "Maybe I don't want to stay home on the weekends anymore so you can be the office easy." I strode forward, my eyes flashing and my shoulders pushed back threateningly. Mom backed out the door and I snapped it shut and for the first time since the twins could crawl, locked my door.

My cell phone began ringing again but I ignored it and carefully lay back down on my bed, easing onto the mattress while trying not to jar my muscles. I sighed and tried to relax, closing my eyes and concentrating on relaxing one muscle group at a time. I was nearly asleep when my door creaked open and Tony's voice floated through my head.

"Mmm go away," I mumbled, rolling over and cuddling my pillow to my chest. _Where'd Ceros go?_ I wondered idly as I yet again drifted into unconsciousness and I slept.

Unconsciousness didn't last long. What seemed like seconds later Tony was shaking me awake. I groaned and sighed, pondering the dream that Tony had invaded.

"Aza, get up! Lance is here!" Tony said urgently

My eyelids fluttered open and I sat up, rolling Ceros off my stomach as I did. "What are you talking about, Tony?"

_Oh my word. Ambrosa is here, Aza, and her human with her. The human boy seems annoyed. He is in the hall outside your door._

I growled and threw an arm over my eyes as I flopped back onto my bed with a pained groan. "Tony why is he here?"

"Because I invited him over. He's been trying to get a hold of you all day. Your phone was ringing and I didn't want it to wake you so I answered it and it was Lance," Tony said, shaking me gently once more.

I slapped him lightly and swung myself out of bed. I put Ceros on my pillow and walked across the room to my closet. My room was sizeable, not small but not overly large either. I fit all my things in comfortably and still had a bit of extra space. I stepped inside my closet, big enough for me to hang my clothes up and still turn around without brushing against them. I changed into a loose fitting pair of jogging pants that fell to just past my knees and a baggy tee shirt. Even these small movements left my muscles clenching. I moved slowly and stiffly out of my closet and set to brushing my hair.

Ceros glided over, gently settling on my shoulders and taking the brush from my hands and finishing the task. He hummed dragon song quietly and wove my hair into a braid. My muscles relaxed with the song that drifted through my mind, a soothing melody.

"Can I let him in?" Tony asked, his words quite terse. I nodded and he opened the door.

"You know you really need to pick up your phone," Lance said, annoyance escaping from him in waves.

"I can hardly move. All I want to do is sleep not get harassed by your homely mug," I spat. I lifted my hand, water collecting in front of my fingers in a ever-moving globe.

Lance looked at me curiously and then at Ceros, sitting on my shoulder. "Did something happen?"

I stood and stepped toward Lance until I was standing in front of him. He froze and watched with apprehension in his dark eyes.

I lifted my hand and brushed his dusky bangs aside, watching him suppress a shiver as his lips pressed together.

"Be still and don't worry," I whispered. He nodded with a short tense jerk of his chin. I tilted my head with slight concern but pushed it away

I moved my index finger, the water moving in response. The water coated my hand and part of my forearm in a type of gauntlet. I lift my hand to Lance's forehead and pressed my index and middle fingers to the center of his forehead. I closed my eyes and he did the same. I pulled up the images of the spell that had sent me into a walking muscle cramp and the girl at the spell's center, carefully editing out the fact that I was in the shower.

"Wow," Lance breathed. He opened his eyes looked at me in wonder. "The spell you did in the memories you showed me. How did you do that?"

"I'm not entirely sure. The spell, it's a type of scrying method, was a memory from a past life. It just sort of happened as I remembered what one of the Tamers before me did," I explained, moving my hand from Lance's forehead and using my other hand to collect the water in a ball, floating at my finger tips.

Lance tilted his head to one side inquiringly. He lifted his hands, mimicking my motions as I separated the water into miniscule droplets and made them dance and swirl around us as we stood in the center of my room. He made grains of fire dance from his hands, sending them whirling and skipping in the opposite rotation of my water.

I grinned, forgetting the pain in my body and lifted my arms out straight, my fingers pointed at the floor, putting my legs together until my heels touched in a quick fluid motion. The water stopped moving instantly, forming a pattern around us. Lance mimicked me once more, his fire freezing opposite of my water.

"You are a natural, young Water Tamer," said a crackling voice, from behind me. I lifted my wrists so my hands were level, the water I had been controlling disappeared back into the air. I turned to face a horse sized fire dragon. I blinked in surprise and bowed low. "Milady Ambrosa Cabvil," I murmured. "It is a pleasure."

Ambrosa laughed, the sound like flames crackling over dry logs. She touched her nose to my forehead. "Likewise, young Tamer."

I stood and took in the legend standing before me. Long legged and angular, Ambrosa's shoulder was level with my own. She was the length of my full sized bed and perhaps the thickness of a large beach ball. She was the of color of the heart of a volcano, charcoal across her top, fading to scarlet at her feet and across her underside. Ambrosa's feet looked more like paws, with sharp claws coming from her toes. Her scales were smooth and a ridge of short blunt flexible spines ran the length of her body, no more than two inches tall, shortening as they reached the tip of her tail. Four longer solider soot colored spikes resided on her tail, gleaming like crystallized ash. Her hazel eyes watched me with a predatory focus, as Ceros had when I first met him in form.

"Lance I know I have taught you manners in the month we have been together. Even the mortal knows more about etiquette than you," Ambrosa said, returning Tony's deep bow with a dip of her head. "How do humans live in such places? I can't even get to full size in here."

Lance flushed and bowed low to Ceros. "Greetings Milord Ceros Penteium. It is a pleasure to finally meet."

Ceros smiled and jumped to my desk, choosing to remain the size of a house cat. He nodded to Lance. "Please rise Fire Tamer. It is good to finally meet you also." Ceros glanced at Ambrosa. "Houses of this time are not built to accommodate dragons."

"I do supposed that is a good idea," Ambrosa said taking in Ceros' size. She closed her eyes and shrank as well, stopping at Labrador size. When she opened them she grinned at me. "Only Tamer houses were built to accommodate dragons in the past. So I see you got beaten by a spell."

"Not beaten just abused," I corrected with a laugh.

"I'm gonna go get a soda. Lance, Aza you to want anything?" Tony said, getting up from my bed and striding to the door. He paused there, one foot in the hall and the other just inside my door. His shoulders were tense and stiff.

"No thank you," Lance said. Tony left.

I followed Tony out the door. "What's wrong?" I asked him.

"Nothing. Unless you consider the fact that there are dragons in your bedroom and one of them was giving your so called friend a lesson in manners!" Tony snapped, whirling around to look me in the face.

I squared my shoulders. "He's your friend too," I hissed through my teeth.

"Oh and another thing, let's consider the fact that you're going to be leaving soon to some god forsaken mountain to meet dead people and talking lizards!" Tony continued, brushing off my interruption

"Tony I have to go. This is my fate, my destiny," I tried to explain.

"No you don't have to go. You can stay right here with me, with our family!" Tony retorted, his hands clenching into fists. "Get someone else to do it."

"If I don't go they're won't be a family here for very much longer," I hissed, poking him in the chest. "I'm the only one who can do it, Tony! There isn't anyone else. And there won't be anyone left if I don't go."

"But why does it have to be you?" Tony asked, his voice shaking.

"I don't know why it just has to be me," I said. "Fate, I guess."

"What if you don't come back?" Tony said

"Tony I'm not leaving yet. Droxyl has to be found first. I still have some time," I said. "I will come back after the fight is over. And in one piece, don't worry." I hugged my brother and slid past him.

"But how can you be sure?" Tony asked, his hands held out to me pleadingly. "What if the dragons are the enemy?" He knew he was reaching now, especially after the talk he had with Ceros while Aza was sleeping.

I crossed my arms over my chest, staring at Tony with a dangerous glint to my eye. "And what exactly gives you that idea, Anton?"

"I'm just trying to get you to consider all the possibilities, which you aren't doing," Tony said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I have considered all the possibilities. What do you think I do on my runs?" I asked. "I run and think. I consider my problems and what to do with them. And the only conclusion to this one at the present is me fighting." I turned on heel and walked downstairs to the kitchen.

Dad was at the table, reading the paper and Mom was trying to get the twins to sit still long enough to eat lunch, she greeted me with a stony glare.

"Hey long time no wake, kiddo. You feeling all right?" Dad asked.

"Yeah just sore. I met up with some kids from my school and played some soccer. I worked too hard, is all," I flashed him a grin and pulled the two pitchers of juice out of the fridge, one of grape juice and another of pineapple juice. I placed those on the counter and grabbed two cans of ginger ale out of the soda drawer and put them on the counter with the juice. I moved to another cupboard to grab a couple of cups, humming quietly.

"Do you know Tony's new buddy?" Dad asked, shuffling the paper slightly.

"A bit, we hung out at the fair. I see him around school some," I answered pouring some grape juice into both glasses and a small amount of pineapple juice into the grape, just enough to taste the pineapple but not enough to overpower the grape.

"He seemed like a nice kid when Tony introduced him. He seems to be good with kids too. Lilly and Lucy like him all right," Dad said glancing up at me as I poured the cans of ginger ale over the grape and pineapple juice mix.

"His name is Lance and he is very nice," I said, mixing the drinks with a straw and replacing the pitchers in the fridge and grabbing a can of Pepsi for Tony.

"He's good looking," Mom said.

I pursed my lips as I slipped the can of soda into my pocket and took the glasses of soda juice in my hands. "Lance is just a friend, Mother. Please don't start with the boyfriend thing."

"Sorry, Aza but you're seventeen and haven't had a boyfriend yet," Mom said, lifting a curious gaze to me. "How come?"

I rolled my eyes and leveled her curiosity with a slight glare. "So? None of the boys at school are mature enough or my type and besides I don't have time for a boyfriend between track and babysitting your kids," I said with a shrug.

"Aza!" Dad chided.

"Ask Mom why she works so late the same day every week and calls at the last minute saying she just got pulled into a meeting, Dad," I interjected.

"Aza your mother works a demanding job," Dad said. "I am not going to check up on her."

Mom turned her eyes to the table. They were shining and wet. "Aza go hang out with your friend. He's probably thirsty," she said, her voice husky.

I turned and went upstairs, carefully treading up the stairs without dropping the soda juice. I'd most likely pay for what I said downstairs but oh well. It's about time Dad finds out. I sighed, _my tongue seems to be getting away from me more since I found Ceros. _I shrugged mentally_. So what? Water is not to be held back, it always finds away out no matter the cost. But doesn't that depend on the cost. _I shook my head and nudged my door open with my hip it wasn't latched thankfully.

"What have you made this time, little one?" Ceros asked, flying over and lading on my shoulder.

"Soda juice," I said, handing one of the cups to Lance. I pulled Tony's soda out of my pocket and set it on my night table.

Lance took a cautious sip. "This is good!"

"Jeez don't sound so surprised," I said unaware of Ceros slinking down my arm and lapping from my glass. He stopped momentarily and rubbed his nose with his paw, the carbonation in the soda tickling his snout. He licked his lips several times, getting the taste of the liquid. He began lapping again with renewed vigor.

I sent my glass down next to Tony's soda asking Lance where my brother had disappeared too.

Ceros' grip on my arm slipped and his nose slipped into the glass, filling his nostrils with bubbles. He jumped back, sneezing repeatedly and foaming at the mouth because of the soda.

Ambrosa began laughing at Ceros' bewildered expression calling attention to Ceros's plight. Lance and I turned to him watch him hover through the air drunkenly, sneezing. We broke down laughing as Ceros sneezed and pawed his snout trying to clear his sinuses of the bubbly concoction.

"It is not funny," Ceros snapped thickly, rubbing his nose with both paws.

Lance sobered up momentarily. "You're perfectly right, Ceros."

"Why thank --," Ceros began only to be interrupted by Lance once more.

"It's hilarious," Lance finished falling down in laughter once more.

Ceros glared and spat ice beads at him. Lance wiggled and laughed, trying to bat them away.

"Hey hey hey not on my bed," I choked out between giggles as I fell onto my bed beside Lance.

"Ah my dear Ceros you should have seen your face," Ambrosa laughed

Ceros flew to the top of my bookshelf and settled among the stuffed animals I had up there, his back to us as we recovered from our chuckles.

"Ceros don't be cranky. We were laughing with you," I said, staring up at his scaly bluish back.

"I wasn't laughing," Ceros retorted

"Some people snort when they laugh, you sneeze. Not a difference," I said. "We're sorry." I turned to look at the others as they tired to end their laughs.

"Are you lying?" Ceros asked, shifting to peek down at me with one bright seaweed green eye.

"Ceros you can tell when I'm lying. I know you can. We're sorry and you know it," I said, putting my hands on my hips in a vain effort to look stern. I just looked like a child play-acting.

Ceros fluttered down to me and lighted on my shoulder. "I do know." He nuzzled my cheek and looked at Ambrosa who was still struggling to cease her laughter. He frowned and launched himself off my shoulder, growing to match Ambrosa's size as he hurtled through the air. His claws grabbed her shoulder and he twisted around in the air, rolling the she dragon onto her back.

Ambrosa's laughter stopped abruptly as she took in what had just happened. "Get off me you laggard!" she growled

"Laggard? I daresay you must be mistaken. I am the one holding you captive, deary," Ceros scoffed.

I carefully watched Ambrosa's expression, the scales on her cheeks darkened in color, going from a smoky gray red to bright crimson in seconds. I flickered my fingers and a shield of ice enclosed the small flame that erupted from Ambrosa's mouth in a ball of ice. "If you two are going to fight, no flame nor water. My room my rules. If you two don't like it then you'll just have to call a truce," I ordered, bouncing the ball of frozen flame between my hands.

Ambrosa and Ceros stared at me for a few seconds. Then Ceros slowly let go of Ambrosa and held out his paw. "Truce?" he said through stiff lips.

Ambrosa's lips pursed but she took Ceros' paw in her own and nodded, "Truce," she said stiffly.

Ceros' released the she dragon's paw and jumped on my bed, shrinking back to the size of a house cat and curling up into a ball on my pillow as Tony walked back into the room, carrying a rectangular wooden box.

Ambrosa also shrank to the size of a cat and sat by Lance's knee as he sat cross-legged on the floor in front of my window, facing the door.

"I brought you a Pepsi," I said, grabbing the can sitting on my night table and passing it to my brother as I slid to the floor and sat cross-legged, leaning my back against my bed.

"Thanks. "I'm sorry about before, when we were on the stairs," Tony said taking the can and rolling it between his hands.

"Don't worry about it, Tony. We'll talk later," I said, waving a hand at him nonchalantly. "What's in the box?"

"It's the chess and checker set Grandda made for me," Tony explained, his face lighting up as he touched the box lovingly. "I was wondering if anyone wanted to play and the third person can play winner when the game is over."

"I'll take you up on a game of chess, Tony," Lance said, taking a sip from his soda juice.

I smiled and sipped my own drink, chuckling at Ceros' refusal of another sip. Tony sat down across from Lance and placed the box between their knees. I watched as Tony and Lance set up the board, remembering back to when Grandda had taught both Tony and I how to play. I suppressed a yawn and turned my attention to the game, wondering idly who would win.

Lance, as a guest, moved first. A pawn two squares forward, as allowed in the first round.

Tony tilted his head curiously trying to read what Lance was planning by his first move. There were so many possibilities. Tony frowned and repeated Lance's move, allowing Lance to take the first piece.

My eyelids slipped closed several times but I wrenched them open each time so I could watch the boys play. Ambrosa took an expressive interest in the game, asking all sorts of questions in between moves. Tony and Lance filled her in but she seemed unappeasable.

I dozed fitfully, trying to stay awake to watch the boys play. I couldn't do it. I succumbed to sleep and was vaguely aware of some one helping me into bed and Ceros' complaining hiss when he was rolled from my pillow. I sighed and reached out to tickle Ceros under his chin, he warbled like a creek over rocks and fluttered to the floor.

I heard quiet voices for a few more minutes, the boys perhaps and Ambrosa's dry crackle and Ceros' quiet wash, sleep claimed me quickly.


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

**Dark clouds covered the sky as I flew, thunder chased lightning from the sky and rain pelted my scales. I was in dragon form with Lance, Becca, and Rob by my side. We're hunting, for what I'm not sure.**

**The wind howled in my ears as Rob shouted to me. I couldn't hear what he was saying. He turned on wing tip and headed for the ground, probably to take cover. Becca and Lance followed closely. I wanted to yell to shout to them that I still had the scent.**

**I pressed on knowing I wasn't far away. Lightning shot through the clouds and I quickly banked out of the way. I allowed the wind to drive me closer to the ground by a few more miles. I could see quite clearly now, but when my eyes reached the scene in a clearing below me I wished I couldn't see.**

**A female dragon the color of the clouds in the sky surrounding me, dark iron, lay on her side in the wet and rain beaten grass, blood streaking her side. A girl with long blonde hair cradled his head in her lap as she coughed and struggled to breathe, to control the pain that sent ripples through her scaly iron colored hide. The girl was soaked to the skin and wearing a dirt streaked pink outfit, her hair hung, stringy and wet, to her shoulders.**

**I landed on the outskirts of the clearing and took my human form, shaking off the feelings of hostility I could feel rolling off the girl. I ran over, the rain soaking me almost instantly.**

**The girl looked up at my approach, her saddened expression twisting into hateful rage. "Where have you been?" she shrieked. "You could have saved him!"**

**I held my hands up in surrender. "I still can. Please just let me help if only you'll calm down," I said evenly.**

"**Calm down?! You want me to be calm while my best friend is dying?!" she yelled, gripping fistfuls of her hair as she spoke. "You are so stupid!"**

"**Please I can help I--," I was cut off by the girl's shriek of rage.**

"**NO!" She freed one hand from her hair and reached to the sky. "Leave. Me. Alone!" she screamed as a bolt of lightning came from the sky and struck her. She pointed her hand at me and fired the lightning rod at me, cackling madly.**

**I stared wide eyed and frozen in shock as the bolt of lightning came at me. I didn't move, couldn't move. I couldn't breathe or scream. The bolt came closer; I could feel the heat, smell the electricity of it. **_**Nearly there,**_** I thought fearfully as I tried to will my muscles to move me out of harm's way.**

**I sat bolt up right in bed with a short scream. I clutched my chest where the lightning would've hit me, gasping for breath. Cold sweat beaded me body, making the tank top and shorts I had worn to bed stick to me as I threw the blankets off me and swung my legs over the bed.**

**I pulled on a pair of socks and padded silently downstairs. I glanced at the microwave as I crept through the kitchen, 1:17 am, I growled quietly, clapping my hand to my forehead. **_**I still have four and a half hours of sleep left and school after that. What the hell?!**_

**I moved about the kitchen silently, wincing when I made a noise. I grabbed blueberry jam from the fridge and peanut butter from the pantry and bread from the bin before moving to the island in the center of the kitchen. I turned and pulled a spoon and butter knife from the drawer beside the sink. I was oblivious to any noises in the house except for the ones I was making as I put together two peanut butter and jam sandwiches.**

**The overhead light clicked on and I nearly jumped out of my skin screaming. I looked up to find my Dad standing in the doorway in his bathrobe, watching me with one eyebrow cocked. "Morning kiddo."**

"**Um hi Dad," I put the lid back on the jam jar and put it away before pouring myself a glass of milk. I put the peanut butter away and cut sandwiches in half diagonally.**

"**You're up early. Everything all right?" he asked, watching me move about the kitchen.**

"**Yeah just nightmares. I thought maybe a snack would chase them away," I said taking a bite from a half of my sandwich. "Want half?" I offered thickly holding up another half of my sandwich.**

**Dad smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Sure." He walked over to the bar and leaned against the granite top while I sat next to him on the counter. "We used to do this all the time when you were little. Some nights you wouldn't even go to bed without sharing a nutter and belly sandwich with me."**

**I wrinkled my nose, smiling. "I remember when I used to call them that. It was our special thing, we'd sit here just like this and you would tell me a story while we ate."**

**Dad nodded. "Yep." He watched me for a few silent seconds. "You've grown up a lot since then. You're quite a girl, Lee-Lee." He pushed my hair back from my forehead. "Where'd my little girl go so fast?"**

**I flushed and took a swallow of milk before offering the glass to Dad. "I'm still right here not much bigger but a bit older. At least I don't back wash like I used to, huh?"**

**Dad laughed, "That is very true." He took the glass and sipped. "So what were these nightmares about?"**

**I shivered, gooseflesh coating my arms as I remembered the rain on my skin and the anger crazed look in the girl's eye as she threw the lightning at me. "I don't remember," I said taking a bite of the sandwich.**

"**Bad ones, huh?" Dad asked taking the last half of the sandwiches.**

**I nodded, the flight to the clearing replaying in my head. I hated thunderstorms even now. I had since I was young; I thought the sky was going to fall on my head. Now I just hate the loud unexpected noise they bring.**

**Dad watched me for a moment, then he pulled me into his arms. The sandwiches were gone but I could smell the nutty sweet scent of them on his breath as he murmured into my hair. "What's the matter, hun?"**

**I shook my head and let out a shuddering sigh. "I'm just tired." I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck as I snuggled against his chest, my butt still resting on the counter slightly.**

"**Of the nightmares?" he asked quietly, rocking me gently.**

**I nodded. I hoped no else in the house could hear us. I wasn't surprise that Dad came out; he has like super hearing or some kind of spidey sense. We sat like that for a while, just holding each other like we hadn't in years. I felt like I was four years old again when Dad used to be a Mr. Mom before the twins came. Tears filled my eyes and I sniffled.**

"**It's time for bed, Lee-Lee," Dad whispered into my hair. I nodded. Dad tightened his arms around me and slid me off the counter. "Still small enough to carry at sixteen years old, we ought to stick you in a plant pot and feed ya some fertilizer."**

**I laughed and sniffed. "I made your robe all wet, sorry," I said thickly my nose plugged and my head pounding. "I couldn't stand still that long."**

"**That's okay; you used to use me as a snot rag all the time." He wavered a little as we reached halfway up the stairs. "I know you couldn't."**

**I rubbed the tip of my nose on his collar for emphasis. "I missed a spot." I frowned. "Do you want me to get down?" I asked**

"**Nah I'm all set," he said, turning the corner to my room and then through my door. He gently laid me down on the bed and plucked a tissue from the box on my night table. "Here," he said passing me the tissue.**

**I blew my nose and passed it back to him, crumpled and damp. "Thanks." I sat up and hugged him. "For the sandwiches and talk."**

**He frowned jokingly and dropped the tissue in the trashcan at the end of my bed. "You're very welcome." He kissed my forehead and gently pushed me down onto the pillow. "Get some sleep." He pulled the blankets up to my chin and tucked me in like he used to when I was little.**

**I turned on my side as he walked out the door. "Night Daddy."**

**He paused in the doorway, one hand on the doorknob. "Good night, Lee-Lee. Sleep sweet. Love you." He walked out, swinging my door shut about halfway. I heard his feet on the stairs when I let out the breath I never realized I had been holding with a shudder.**

**I rolled over on my stomach, pushing away memories of my nightmare. I reached under the pillow on the other side of my bed for Ceros. My fingertips brushed against his scaly head and a loving growl came from his throat. A calm washed over me as I stroked his nose with one finger. I managed to en trance myself into sleep by petting the dragon, strange I know but what can you get from a sixteen year old with a dragon for a best friend? Definitely not normality.**

**My alarm went off at 5:30, making me nearly jump out of my skin. I turned it off and lay on my back for a few minutes trying to stop my heart from pounding out of my chest. I rolled onto my side to look over at Ceros who had been sleeping on the other side of my bed under the blanket and was now sprawled on his back with all four feet in the air on top of the blanket. I pressed one hand to my mouth to keep from laughing out loud and dragged the tips of my fingers on my other hand up Ceros' scaly belly ever so lightly.**

**Ceros' nose twitched and his rear foot kicked faintly.**

**I smothered another laugh and dragged my fingers back down his belly making him kick his foot even more and him squirm. I tickled his belly three more times before he woke.**

**Ceros' eyes opened slowly, closing and then opening again. I dragged my fingers up his belly he squirmed and hummed. "Wake up, little dragon," I whispered.**

**Ceros jumped, startle awake at the sound of my voice. "What? Morning already?" he asked, trying to be nonchalant about his ticklishness.**

"**Yeah it is," I said grinning. "Wake up while I take a shower and get Tony's lazy arse out of bed." I got out of bed and walked out of my room, tiptoeing to Tony's room as quietly as possible. He was just down the hall from me, on the other side of the bathroom and his door was open slightly.**

**I pushed it open even more, just enough so I could squeeze through. Tony was sprawled on his back, spread eagle with his head hanging of the bed with his mouth open, snoring loud enough to shake his bed, literally.**

**I ducked my head to keep from laughing and crept toward him, carefully sidestepping dirty clothes and other clutter on the floor to within a foot of his bedside. I looked at him for a second. He looked so peaceful and innocent. I crouched on the balls of my feet using my fists to balance myself. I took a deep breath, tensed and sprang.**

**I landed on Tony's belly making him jump awake with a yelp. He blinked several times, trying to focus on me trying to stop laughing.**

"**Rise and shine, big brother," I chuckled.**

"**Morning Aza," Tony mumbled, halfheartedly trying to push me off the bed. "You know one of the times you do that to me I'm gonna have a full bladder and end up pissing myself, you know that?"**

**I just laughed and ruffled his already tousled hair. "Get up. I'm going to take shower." I stood and walked toward the door.**

"**Yeah and make sure it's a long one, smelly," Tony said.**

**I turned a mischievous grinning curling my lips. I lifted one hand and twisted my wrist in a quick circle. Water flowered from the air and hovered in front of my fingertips. Tony watched me with a lifted eyebrow as he sat up, sitting cross-legged in his bed. I blew on the water gently and it turned to a pile of snow in my hands, icy cold as if it had just fallen from the clouds. I quickly packed it into a ball and launched it at Tony. The snowball caught him square in the chest. He turned a delicate shade of green as the cold registered in his mind. I took a millisecond to enjoy his expression before ducking out of the door and to the bathroom.**

**It took me twenty minutes to get done in the bathroom. I wrapped my hair in a towel and wrapped a larger bath towel around my body and left the bathroom to go to my room. I tread carefully, Tony would be wanting revenge.**

**Movement caught my eye as I turned my back to the bathroom. I closed my eyes briefly, sending an invisible mist from my fingers to make sure it was Tony. It was and he had a tall juice cup of icy water in his hands. **_**Silly boy. **_**I thought with a smirk. My eyes open and the mist dispersed.**

**I paused a moment and leaned against the wall, picking up my foot as if I had something stuck it the bottom of it. Tony seized his opportunity and moved to pour it over my head. Moving fluidly like the water that was my calling I turned, my right hand forming a fist and then bringing my index and middle fingers together I jabbed Tony under the arm, purposely hitting the pressure point that is there. My left hand flew out palm up; fingers splayed to fling my control over the water flying from the cup that Tony had flung in surprise.**

**I manipulated the water to catch the cup and slow its tumble to the floor. Cup and contents landed right side up on the carpet, not a drop of water spilled. My fingers lifted and then I turned my palm to face the floor. Tony was leaning against the wall, massaging the pressure point I had hit. "What did you do? My arm is all tingly," he hissed angrily.**

"**You arm will wake up soon," I said simply, picking up the glass of water. "I hit a pressure point in your arm. In about three minutes feeling will start coming back."**

"**Thanks a lot, karate kid now what am I going to do?" Tony retorted.**

"**Get ready for school I guess. You're the one tried to dump water on my head," I said.**

"**You through a snowball at me!" Tony exclaimed in exasperation.**

"**Tony where did you get that idea?" I laughed. "There's no snow on the ground. I can't just make it out of thin air." I patted him on the shoulder. "I think you need to lay off the video games. Start trying to move your arm. I have to go finish getting ready." I handed him the glass of water and walked into my room.**

**Ceros was sitting on the windowsill basking in the sun. His ears flicked in my direction as I came in and closed the door. I moved to the closet without speaking and picked out an electric blue gauzy skirt and a black tank top. I moved to my bureau and grabbed my black leggings and other undergarments. I glanced at Ceros he had turned to face me but his eyes remained respectfully closed as I dried my hair and dressed for school.**

"**Young one, I have news." He paused waiting to see if I would speak, I didn't so he continued. "Droxyl has been heard from. I talked to him earlier while you were washing. It seems her Tamer is having troubled adjusting."**

**I adjusted my bra straps and slid my skirt over my leggings. "By what means?" I asked as began brushing my hair.**

"**Well the girl, Brittney is her name, isn't talking to Droxyl all that much and is having a lot of control problems," Ceros explained as I braided my hair. "Are you clothed yet? It is uncomfortable to talk with my eyes closed."**

**I gasped. "Oh my word, are you serious?" I quickly pulled my tank top on. "Open your eyes. What is Britteny's last name?"**

"**Well ah I'm not sure. I believe it is Reynolds," Ceros said. "I know it is shocking but I didn't expect this strong of a reaction."**

"**No I mean yes I mean it's awful that she trying to ignore Droxyl but I gasped because Brittney Reynolds is the captain of the cheerleading squad and the most popular girl in my year," I said in a rush as I gathered my school stuff and stuffed it in my backpack. I turned back to Ceros and put my hand on his head, I closed my eyes and recalled the last football game I had taken pictures of for the school newspaper. Brittney scantily clothed in her cheerleading outfit and bouncing around smiling obnoxiously and another of Brittney at half time standing at the top of a pyramid.**

"**I don't understand this cheerleading," Ceros said when I removed my hand and stepped back.**

"**Is that Droxyl's Brittney?" I asked dismissing Ceros' statement about the cheerleading.**

"**Yes I believe so," Ceros nodded.**

"**How long have they been together?" I asked as I picked up my cell phone and dialed in Lance's number.**

"**Not sure," Ceros said.**

"**And they still haven't connected?" I asked in a rush, holding the phone to my ear and willing Lance to answer. "Is this the first time you've talked to Droxyl?"**

"**They are connecting, just not as fast as Droxyl would like. No I just haven't had the chance to tell you," Ceros said, shifting his feet slightly. "I wanted to tell you in private. Tony wouldn't leave enough for us to talk and you fell asleep so I didn't have a chance yesterday."**

"**You are starting to pick up my habits, procrastinator," I said. "Hello? Hey Lance it's me." I moved away from the window to sit on my bed I only had a few minutes.**

**Ceros watched me curiously. He still didn't understand cell phones or computers or any of this technology except for radios and TVs. He used Aza's stereo and watched TV with Tony when Aza was showering or on a run and Ceros didn't want to go. It was horribly boring to be stuck in a body that wasn't your own. Ceros' favorite part of the week was school. He understood mathematics and the history was entertaining but Aza hated math and disliked history unlike the advanced English and science classes she excelled in.**

**He watched Aza rapidly explain to Lance about Brittney and Droxyl's situation. She seemed excited and frustrated all at the same time but she didn't allow her emotions to cloud her logic. Ceros felt pride flower in his chest. In the short time they had been together they had become a team, sharing thoughts, emotions, and a life without wondering why. They were meant for each other and Aza accepted and believed in the relationship that lived between them, between a human girl and dragon, a creature long thought dead.**

"**Ceros," I ran my fingers through his mane while I spoke breaking him out of his thoughts. "We've got to go. Tony's already in the car and he won't wait much longer."**

**Ceros nodded and closed his eyes. He dissolved into a near invisible mist and drifted around me wrapping around my arms and creeping up the back my back under my shirt.**

**I giggled as Ceros moved and raised the miniscule hairs on my arms. He sunk into my pores and settled his presence in my mind; it felt like slipping on a favorite hat. I pulled on my converse shoes and slipped my phone inside my pack before hurrying downstairs closing my door on the way out of my room.**

**The kitchen was empty when I got downstairs, Dad's coffee cup half full on the table beside the newspaper. **_**He must be in the bathroom**_**. I grabbed an apple from the fruit hammock and yelled goodbye. I ran out the door as Tony honked the horn.**

**I flung the passenger side door open and jumped in, throwing my pack in the back seat. "How's you arm, bub?" I asked, biting into my apple.**

"**Hurts like hell where you jabbed me but fine other than that," Tony said stiffly as he put his Thunderbird into reverse and carefully backed out of the drive. "We're gonna pick up Riz so you'll have to sit in the back when we get to her place."**

**I blew a sigh out my nose. "Okay, it's your car after all."**

**Tony's foot stuttered on the brake pedal as we pulled up to a stop sign. "Really? That's all you have to say?"**

"**Well I'm not gonna argue it's your car and you're only driving me cause I'm sister and Riz is your girlfriend even though she's a flake," I said with a shrug. And truly she was a flake. There was a class project she had to do on her heritage and she says to the teacher 'I'm Irish, where do Irish people come from?' Yeah she actually said that. When I heard about it I wanted to slap her.**

"**Don't dump on Riz okay? She's just different," Tony said in an exasperated tone. We've had this conversation before but I had a new angle this time.**

"**She's different? I'm a five foot nothing with a talking dragon in my head, what does that make me?" I asked, watching Tony with raised eyebrows.**

"**Don't start. Sit in the back when we get to her place," Tony said.**

"**Are you still mad at me?" I asked, crawling through the space between the driver and passenger seat and settling into the middle of the back seat.**

**Tony remained silent for a few seconds as he pulled onto Riz's street. "Not at you in particular."**

"**What do you mean?" I asked, fear trembling in my belly as I realized where his anger might be aimed at.**

"**I mean that last of the five have been found so you'll be leaving soon, right?" Tony said, his hands stiffening on the wheel.**

"**Soon but I don't know exactly when. It's not the end of the world just because I'm leaving. No pun intended." I touched his shoulder but he jerked away from my touch as he pulled into Riz's driveway, tears pooled in my eyes as I spoke. "I'll only be away for a little while. I'll be fine, everything will be fine." As I finished speaking I could feel in the back of my mind I would be eating those words at some point in this tale.**

**Riz flounced out the door in a cotton summer dress the color of a flamingo, with fake flowers wrapped in her hair and dance slippers on her feet. Ten points for originality, minus two for pink, leaving eight, subtract two more for ugly flowers leaving six. Take one for forgetting her backpack, leaves five.**

**Riz climbed in the car with difficulty, she seemed to be worried about her dress wrinkling in the ten-minute ride. Take two more for idiocy. She glanced in the back seat and flashed me one of those girls' only best friend forever smiles, "Hey girly. Nice threads." Take last three points for dorkism, total: 0. And we haven't even left the driveway yet. I really don't like this chick.**

**I mumbled hi back and moved behind Tony so I wouldn't have to see them hold hands and stared out the window as we drove to school.**

_**Aza you are worried now because of what Tony said?**_

_**A bit. I still have to figure a way to get away from Mom and Dad. I don't want to just sneak out in the middle of the night and leave a note but I can't sit down and tell them that there's a talking dragon in my head, that would a sure fire ticket to a rubber room and a hug me jacket.**_

_**You must decide. Droxyl is making progress with Brittney.**_

_**I know I have to but I just don't want to think about it. I leave and come back that's going to be groundation for the rest of my high school career.**_

_**True but that won't be an option if you choose to allow Earth's demise.**_

**I snorted quietly. **_**Gee thanks for reminding me.**_

_**You're welcome.**_

**I sighed. **_**You really need to learn how to detect sarcasm.**_

_**Only if you start trying in history.**_

_**I won't have to worry about soon enough anyway. If I dropout the school isn't just going to give me my grades and GPA back like I had never left.**_

_**Why not? You are a good student.**_

_**That may be but life doesn't work that way unfortunately.**_

_**Humans are complicated.**_

**I laughed out loud startling Tony and Riz. **_**You have no idea. **_

"**Aza are you all right?" Riz asked.**

**I nodded. "Yeah I just saw something funny when we drove by the field, is all." I prodded Tony in the back. "Let me out front please. I don't want to watch you two suck face."**

"**Must you be so crude?" Tony said as he pulled up to the front entrance of Bentley High School and put the Bird in park.**

"**Yep." I said waiting impatiently for Tony to get out so I could too. He did finally and I pushed his seat forward before he was even completely out of the car and climbed from the back seat, my pack catching on the door. I growled quietly and tugged it free. "I'm staying to run on the track so I won't need a ride home. I'll just take the late bus."**

"**Okay see ya later, Pix," Tony said, climbing into the bird, a shadow crossing his face and then disappearing.**

**I walked through the front doors of the high school as I put my mp3 headphones in my ears, turning up the volume a bit to hear Tokio Hotel over the din of chattering high school students. I wove my through the crowds, everyone pretty much moved out my way. I was known for first my height and than as Tony's little sister, emphasis on little. People thought the pun was incredibly funny though they soon silenced when I leveled them with a glare. I had gotten pretty good at evil stares without actually being angry. Kept a lot of people off my case that a way.**

**I ducked between a pair of football players, giving one an elbow when he tried to stop me. I think someone called my name but I wasn't sure. I moved quickly for the door to the courtyard under the stairs, knowing full well what I was about to do was social suicide. Oh well I have Ceros.**

_**Is this a wise decision?**_

_**I can't very well invite her over for tea.**_

_**Not a bad idea.**_

_**Ah jeez Ceros, you're kidding right? At least here she can't make a scene in front of her boyfriend.**_

_**At least wait for Lance, the poor boy is practically running after you.**_

_**Poor boy my big toe. **_**But I did as I was told and leaned against the wall to stow my mp3 player back in my bag and nonchalantly spy on Britteny and her gaggle of skinnies. Her boyfriend was there, handsome but dumber than a stump and captain of the football team.**

"**Geez you walk too fast," Lance complained as he stopped beside me.**

**I turned to him with pursed lips.**

**Lance swallowed hard trying to clear the nervous lump in his throat. His mind emptied when his eyes met Aza's. "I ah um I," he could only stutter, mentally kicking himself for making a fool of himself in front of Aza.**

**She grinned and tilted her head to one side. "You going to say something or stand there and gulp like a fish?"**

"**Ah oh sorry," Lance quickly snapped his mouth shut. He smiled shyly, "Rough morning?"**

**I shrugged and grabbed his wrist. "I'm just not a morning person. C'mon we have work to do." I pulled him to the door and made to open it when he found his voice again.**

"**What about Becca and Rob?" Lance asked, his skin flaming where it connected with hers. "Ceros told Ambrosa who told me you had met them."**

"**They don't know yet. Why don't we have them meet us out there?" Lance asked.**

_**I agree with Lance.**_

_**Fine. **_**I sighed in defeat. "Tell Ambrosa to call to Danzig and Sailya. We'll be waiting the courtyard and to get down here as fast as possible." I opened the door and pulled Lance after me.**

**The cheerleaders and clinging football players and assorted others didn't even look up when Lance and I entered the yard. I passed a sidelong glance to Britteny. She had circles under her eyes and a frantic looked to her eyes. I glanced to the sky, clear and sunny.**

**Britteny's strawberry blonde hair was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail and she wore a pair of cloth jogging pants and a thin pale blue long sleeve shirt, obviously not a usual outfit by the looks her girl group was giving her. Her haggard brown eyes met mine momentarily. I gave her an open friendly smile, knowing full well people usually dropped their eyes and ducked for cover when her gaze found them. However I met her gaze confidently and motioned for her to join Lance and me.**

**She stared at me in perplexion as I pulled a container of fruit salad with slices of chocolate covered strawberries from the side pocket on my pack that I had stowed there. I shook them gently and motioned again. Her lips pursed and her eyes glanced at the door as Becca and Rob came through the door and over to my table. I turned my expression to shy pleading as Britteny shook her head.**

**I allowed my face to fall in slight exaggerated disappointment before I turned away from her eyes and put the salad away. I sat at the picnic table with the other three, still feeling Britteny's questioning gaze on my back. I peeked over my shoulder once before speaking to Becca, Rob, and Lance. Britteny lowered her eyes, a shadow of regret flittering through them quickly then disappearing.**

"**She's going to take some careful handling," I said, quietly.**

"**She certainly doesn't look to par," Rob said, his gaze raking over Britteny's haphazard appearance.**

**I rolled my eyes. "That's not what I meant, Rob. She's scared, really scared."**

**Becca nodded agreement. "You got a plan?"**

"**Yep. Wait till most of her friends leave and the four of us go talk to her," I shrugged. "Don't know where I'm going to go from there though."**

"**You're not going to bring this up at school, are you?" Becca asked with raised eyebrows.**

"**No at her state it's far too dangerous. She might flip. No this needs to be handled delicately, very delicately," I frowned, deep in thought. "You know what?" My eyes lighting up. "This maybe easier if at first it's just us girls."**

**Becca nodded. "My birthday is this weekend. We get rid of my brother for a couple of days," she added.**

"**Oh that's perfect!" I exclaimed.**

**Lance turned to Rob. "Do you have any clue what they're talking about?" He held out his hand. "I'm Lance by the way."**

"**Not a clue." Rob shook his head at Becca and I and shook Lance's hand. "Rob, nice to meet you."**

"**We're really not into the whole girly thing but I bet we could make it work," I said ignoring Lance and Rob.**

"**My mom could help. She's a really big kid," Becca said.**

"**That's so great. So it's solid?" I asked.**

"**Oh hell yeah my mom will totally go for it," Becca nodded vigorously. "I haven't had a girl's sleepover since 6th grade." She laughed. "I got invited to one and we tried to do facials but we mixed up the ingredients wrong and when we woke up the next morning, our faces were lime green."**

**I laughed, "Oh jeez. How'd you manage that?"**

"**We put green food coloring in it to give it color and we used too much," Becca said with a sheepish grin.**

"**Definitely won't do that at this slumber party," I said, glancing over at Britteny. She looked away from me when she realized I was watching. **_**Ceros, can you asked Droxyl what's on her mind? I know it's immoral to invade another's mind but it is necessary.**_

_**I agree and I will. Momentary patience if you would, please. **_**I nodded.**

**Rob was watching me questioningly. "Is there something you'd like to share?"**

**I smiled mischievously. "Perhaps. Momentary patience if you will."**

_**That's my line! **_**Ceros complained teasingly.**

_**You wish to speak to me, water tamer? **_**A gravelly voice entered my mind and I gasped, my eyes snapping shut and my hands clenching into fists on top of the table.**

_**Droxyl Illia this is a surprising pleasure and yes I did wish to speak with you. How are you faring with your charge?**_

_**Better though she still seems resistant. She hasn't allowed me to explain the situation thoroughly enough. She does realize that it is necessary for her to be compliant. **_**Droxyl replied taking amusement to my surprise. **

_**What is she thinking of now? **_**I asked, considering the new information.**

_**Britteny is curious as to your interest of her outside of your science partnership. She also wishes to know if your offer on the fruit was a ploy to get her over to your side. It seems she fears being classified with your social status.**_

**I nearly laughed. **_**I didn't even realize I had a status but no the offer was legitimate and I do wish to speak with her. The air tamer and I wish to befriend her and introduce ourselves first as humans then as Tamers. The fruit was bait and it seems she has bitten.**_

**Droxyl laughed at my last statement. **_**It does seem so. I will refrain from mentioning our meeting to young Britteny and she is going to come over when the bell rings. Good luck with your plan, water tamer. **_**Droxyl's presence lifted from my mind and I opened my eyes feeling quite hopeful if not a bit smug.**

**Becca, Lance, and Rob were watching me like I was going to spontaneously combust. I grinned and nodded once sharply to Becca. She grinned fiercely while the boys swapped confused glances.**

"**Perhaps if the time allotted will progress as to what we need," I said with a smile. "Success will be on our side."**

"**Don't speak in riddles, Aza, you sound like Danzig," Rob complained rolling his eyes dramatically.**

**I laughed. "Don't be a drama king." The bell rang as I spoke drowning out my laughter.**

"**Yeah Rob," Lance said.**

"**Don't make me stand up," Becca threatened reaching across the picnic table and poking Lance in the forehead. "Now go to class." The boys started to get up from the table grumbling. They glanced behind Becca and left quickly trying to act nonchalant as they but their heads together in a low conversation.**

"**Yeah, shorty might kick your butt," a voice said behind Becca.**

"**Who are you calling shorty?" I asked, turning to Britteny. "Becca's taller than me."**

"**Really? How tall are you exactly?" Britteny asked, plunking down between Becca and me.**

"**Five feet exactly." I said with a wry grin. I reached down and pulled the container of fruit from my pack. "Anyone want some?" I asked popping the cover off and setting it on the table after plucking a blackberry out.**

"**Let's get to the point. Did you tempt me over because you want to feed me or do you have an ulterior motive?" Britteny asked, grabbing a chocolate coved strawberry slice from the mix between two perfectly manicured nails.**

"**Okay you caught us," Becca said, putting her hands up in the air like she was surrendering. "You see I have this situation I need some huge help with and I heard from several reliable sources that you could help me."**

**Britteny paused in her motion of eating a raspberry and raised one neatly plucked eyebrow. "Oh really? And what exactly could be some problematic that your buddies can't help you with?"**

"**Well that is part of the problem. I can't help because I'm awful at all the girly stuff and boys," I added.**

"**And the other part is the help I need is something that Aza can't do either," Becca said.**

"**So you're asking me for help?" Britteny asked, this time raising both eyebrows incredulously.**

"**Yeah. I thought you might because well you are the most popular girl in our year plus you have the football captain for a boyfriend," I said, piling on the flattery. "Where's there a reason not to ask you?"**

"**You do have a point," Britteny said with a superior smile.**

**I swapped a small smile with Becca while Britteny turned back to the fruit bowl.**

"**So who's the guy?" Britteny asked.**

**Becca chewed her lip nervously. "Shouldn't we be going to class?"**

**I glanced at Britteny, she didn't look at all concerned, and I shrugged. "Nah it's only one class."**

**Becca sighed. "His names Mike Rosen."**

"**Ooo that cutie who plays forward on the soccer team?" Britteny said, her eyes lighting up.**

**Becca nodded sheepishly. "Yeah that's him. I like him but were only friends. I want him to notice me more as just a friend."**

"**Hey Becca, if you're so worried about class than why don't you just invite Britteny to you slumber party this weekend?" I suggested. "We can talk about it then, right?"**

"**Yeah I guess so but it's on Friday," Becca said, pretending to act impatient and shy at the same time. It worked because Britteny gave her a hopeful sidelong glance.**

"**I don't mind parties," Britteny added nonchalantly.**

"**But Aza I don't know if I can get Kyle out of the house," Becca said her tone full of knowing.**

"**Oh I forgot about him," I said, pretending to be put out. "We can't do it next weekend because of the football game."**

"**Would Tony be willing to keep him for a couple of days?" Becca asked**

**Britteny laughed. "You make him sound like a puppy or a small child that needs a babysitter."**

"**In a way he is a small child. He's immature and very irritating," Becca said.**

"**Aren't all siblings like that?" Brittney asked. "My little sister is. She's twelve and thinks she knows everything. I had to put one of those little locks on my closet so she would stop stealing my clothes."**

"**My sisters are twins and four years old," I said.**

"**Kyle feels the need to be my bodyguard," Becca said, rolling her eyes.**

"**Family is a strange thing. Yours sounds a lot less stressful than mine," Britteny said, her words hiding a double meaning. "I wouldn't mind spending a couple of day's away from home."**

**Becca suddenly pulled out her cell phone. She pushed a few buttons and a tragic expression came over her face. "Oh no!"**

"**What's wrong?" I asked, pulling a piece of cantaloupe melon from the fruit salad and eating it.**

"**Brenna can't come. Rob's got an away game and she has to baby sit," Becca cried. "Great now I'm gonna have to cancel the whole thing."**

"**Why? I'm still going to come and if Britteny would like to we could have a party of three," I suggested with a shrug passing the fruit bowl to Becca.**

"**Would you like to come to my sleepover? The actual party isn't until Saturday but maybe you could help me change my look for Mike when he comes for the party Saturday evening?" Becca lifted her shy hopeful eyes to Britteny's and I knew we had her.**

"**I don't mind. I was only going to go out with Jerard for a movie but he won't mind if I cancel," Britteny said with a disgusted expression. "That way I don't have to sit through a stupid kung fu movie and Jerard can go get drunk with his buddies."**

"**Are you sure?" I asked, chewing my lip slightly. **_**Damn I should join the theatre club. **_

**Britteny laughed humorlessly. "Definitely. Have you ever seen one of those movies?"**

"**Yeah. I used to watch them with my dad when I was a kid. Once you realize there's no plot to the movies or the plot is just completely lame, you never want to see them again," Becca said with a laugh.**

"**Have either you ever seen, **_**The Thoughtless Fighter**_**? That one where the main character leaves his girlfriend to move to China so he can become a karate master?" I asked.**

"**Yeah but when he got to China he realized that he was in the wrong country," Britteny added.**

"**So the rest of the movie was about him fighting his way to Japan," Becca finished.**

"**The ending was so dumb," I said. "By the time he got to Japan he realized he was already a master and his girlfriend that he left was actually an assassin assigned to kill him."**

"**I don't remember that bit." Becca thought for a minute. "Wait wasn't she the crazy blonde chick cut his head off with her boot like the minute he got to the dojo he wanted to train at?"**

"**Yeah that was her," I said.**

"**Why are the crazy people almost always blonde?" Britteny asked, pretending to pout.**

**I shrugged. "Eh blondes have more fun." I glanced around the table before the three of us busted up laughing.**

"**Britteny!" a snobby voice called out in surprise and horror. "Like what are doing like sitting with those like losers?" asked a stick thin corn silk blonde girl asked flouncing up to the table in her cheerleading uniform.**

**Britteny rolled her eyes and sighed. "I m associating with people, what does it look like Ashley?"**

"**You're like sitting with freaks," Ashley said, clutching her chest.**

"**Excuse me, Barbie, but who are you calling a freak? Go eat a friggin' sandwich," I retorted.**

"**Like omigod are you calling me skinny?" Ashley asked.**

"**No she's calling bony," Becca quipped.**

**Ashley leveled us with a glare. "Do you like realize who you're like talking to?"**

"**A snob, I believe, Ashley," Britteny snapped. "Just because they aren't part of the 'in' crowd doesn't make them freaks!" She clapped her hands over her mouth in shock and then winced, her face paling.**

"**Omigod Britteny what is wrong with you? I'm going to tell Jerard," Ashley whined, turning on heel and leaving through the door by the side entrance.**

"**I have absolutely no idea where that came from," Britteny said. "I am just so sick of high school and people being judgmental." Tears filled her eyes and she shoved another chocolate covered strawberry in her mouth.**

**Clouds began filling the sky and a light drizzle began to fall as a tear slid down Britteny's cheek. She frowned and wiped the tear away, glancing up at the sky. "Why does that happen when I cry?" she asked under her breath angrily. A light roll of thunder echoed above us, Britteny jumped and frowned. She closed her eyes taking calming breathes and slowly, agonizingly slowly the rain stopped and the sky cleared.**

_**Ceros, should I approach the subject now? **_

_**No, young one, wait to see if she has an explanation. **_

**I glanced up at the sky and shrugged, watching the sky clear. I glanced at Britteny; a line had appeared between her eyebrows and a look of deep concentration settled over her features.**

_**Do you think she'll have an explanation? **_**I asked Ceros silently**

_**She is handling the situation well. Perhaps she will. **_**Ceros answered.**

**An image appeared in my mind, a dragon, angular and sleek. His scales at the present were a pale iridescent blue. His eyes were iron gray, and full of play. Unlike the other dragons he had no mane or spikes. However even in my mind he radiated an aura of respect.**

**My eyes snapped shut and I sucked in a shallow breath as my stomach churned nauseously. I could feel my powers trying to accumulate themselves to the new presence in my mind. **_**This is a pleasant surprise, Droxyl. **_

_**Thank you, young water tamer. An update for you. Britteny is greatly looking forward to sharing you and Becca's company this coming Friday. And I wish to tell you not to push her about her Tamer abilities. Thank you and I apologize for the intrusion. **_

_**No thank you for your time and please don't apologize. I will be fine. **_**Droxyl withdrew from my mind with a chuckle and I blew out a deep breath I had no idea I was had been holding. I opened my eyes cautiously and immediately shut them again, something wasn't right, I had only been seeing in black and white.**

**I felt Becca's hand on my arm. I opened my eyes once more and this time Becca and Britteny were both staring at me urgently, Britteny averting her gaze to pick a piece of fruit from the bowl. There wasn't much left. I couldn't necessarily tell what is in there I was still seeing in black and white.**

_**Ceros, what's wrong with my sight? **_**I asked, trying to keep my internal voice from trembling.**

_**It is only an after effect of Droxyl's visit. You sight will return to normal in pieces throughout the day.**_

_**Well this is a pain in the butt.**_** I sighed and shrugged.**

"**Are you all right?" Becca asked.**

"**Yeah I'm fine. Just a small intrusion is I guess what you can call it. It happens to me every once in awhile," I said with another shrug. "It's kinda like a migraine but it only lasts a few seconds."**

"**Um freaky weather, huh?" Britteny said**

"**Yeah but it's been odd for awhile. Can you believe this heat in September?" I said. It was harder to judge Britteny's expression with only seeing in black and white. She seemed nervous and hesitant.**

"**Yeah weird right?" Britteny said with a shaky laugh. "Can you guys keep a huge secret?" She but her lip and nodded once sharply before proceeding. "Supposedly there are more like me with different abilities but I haven't found them yet. I've only been aware of this um gift for a lack of a better word, for a few days."**

"**We can keep a secret. But I have a better idea. How about you tell us all about it on Friday? That way we don't have to worry about being over heard." Becca leaned forward slightly, her voice solemn and secretive. "Because I can tell you one thing." She paused again to judge Britteny's wide-eyed expression. "We're not alone." The bell rang at the same instant, signaling the end of the period.**

**From all aspects, me and Becca's plan worked like a dream. If Britteny saw us in the hallway she would smile and wave, much to the distaste of her cheerleading cronies. I would greet their angry glares with a smile and go about my day. Each class I could hardly pay attention, even in my AP classes which really put a rub on my teacher.**

**I paid even less attention in my history and math classes than usual which kept Ceros on his toes. He'd have to reteach me the lesson when I tried to do my homework later that night.**

**Lunch came and I could finally relax with my friends at our corner table. Wait a second. What about Becca, Rob, and Lance? Would we end up sitting together now that we were all out in the open? I hesitated just inside the door of the cafeteria, seriously considering spending my lunch period in the courtyard and eating when I got home.**

_**Just go in already. Becca brought Lance to the where she usually sits with Rob, Brenna, Rye and Beanpole. They are waiting for you. **_

**I pursed my lips. **_**Where are they?**_

_**At the table by the windows in the back of the cafeteria.**_

**I sighed and went in, my ears assaulted by a symphony of voices and the sounds of people eating. I picked my through the fray cautiously, my sight seriously hindering my progress. **_**Why didn't this happen the first time?**_** I asked silently in a complaining tone.**

_**Droxyl only spoke the first time. He didn't actually enter your mind. This time he did. The presence of two dragons in your mind was too much on your subconscious and pressured your sight. It could have happened to your speech, hearing, smell, or taste. The pressure just happened to find your sight first. **_

**I frowned and sidestepped a wadded up ball of paper that was flying at me. I clenched my teeth fighting against the instinct to send a tidal wave of water at the table where the paper had come from.**

**Upon reaching the table I collapsed beside Lance and Becca, burying my head in my arms I sighed.**

"**Are you all right?" Brenna asked, poking my elbow with a fork.**

**I groaned and waved my hand in her general direction. **_**Ceros can I skip the rest of the day? I don't want to go to class. **_**I whined internally.**

**Ceros laughed. **_**I'm sorry but no. We could train after you get out of school. Give Tony your pack and Becca, Rob, Lance and us can go flying and then we can chill as you and your friends say.**_

_**Aren't we supposed to wait for Britteny and Droxyl?**_

_**I'll worry about them.**_

**I giggled.**_** Should I be worried?**_

_**Are you fearful of my planning abilities?**_** An image of Ceros appeared in my mind of him smiling coyly, with far too much innocence in his eyes.**

**I shook my head with a sigh and sat up, resting my chin on folded arms. "What's good for lunch today?" I asked, Brenna pointing to the tray of food in front of her.**

"**Cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets with a bread roll. Celery and carrot sticks, apples, rice, or salad for a side," Brenna rattled off.**

**I wrinkled my nose. "That's all boring crap." Somebody plunked own on the bench next to me.**

"**Howdy Aza," Rob said, pushing his way into the miniscule place between Becca and I. He leaned down to my ear. "Ceros giving you a lot of trouble?" he asked in a conspiratorial whisper.**

**My jaw clenched and my anger flared like a beast in my belly. "Rob," I hissed through my teeth, struggling to manage my temper and keep it from showing to the others. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I pictured the moisture in the air around Rob's canvas sneakers collecting into a large frigid ball of water; I twitched my fingers and the ball of water dropped on Rob's shoes.**

**I opened my eyes the exact instant he released a shocked gasp, jumping like someone had jabbed him in the back. "I'm going to get lunch," I said, getting up and walking over to join the stream of students jostling their way through the food lines.**

_**You really must learn to control yourself. **_**Ceros scolded. **_**Remember the breathing exercises I taught you?**_

_**Now I do. Honestly Ceros he did deserve it. You know he did. I don't do that to everyone who makes me mad. Just the ones I know I can get away with it.**_

_**Young one, your powers are to help the Earth not pick fights. You must control yourself. There are dangers of personal gain even in elemental magic.**_

**I breathed out hard through my nose. **_**I know that. I just wanted him to realize he pissed me off. I understand what you've told me of the laws. I know what I am supposed to do however it is as of yet looking like any of us will accomplish anything.**_** I grabbed an apple with too much force and slammed it down on my tray. It bounced off and rolled into the bottom of the salad bar.**

"**Here," someone placed the apple gently on my plate along with a bag of celery and carrot sticks.**

**I looked up quickly with a smile. "Hey Britteny. Long time no see."**

"**Hi, you seem distracted. Is everything all right?" she asked.**

"**Yeah just thinking a lot," I said with a shrug, placing a cup of spaghetti on my tray with a slice of garlic bread.**

**Britteny smiled. "You'll go prematurely gray thinking too much," she joked.**

**I laughed. "Then I ought to be white haired by now."**

"**So ah this weekend huh?" Britteny said as the line moved forward half a step.**

"**Yeah, not sure what we're going to do yet but probably popcorn, movies, talking, and board games. Plus you'll be teaching us all the girly stuff," I said, grabbing a couple of sugar cookies.**

"**Yeah. So like how much do you know?" Britteny asked, taking one of the cookies from my tray.**

"**I can put on makeup and whatever and obviously I know how to dress," I said. "Even if it doesn't exactly look normal."**

"**As if we could be normal," Britteny added bitterly, her tone barely audible. Her face darkened and she sighed, her eyes closing briefly. "I just wish I could be more like you."**

"**What do you mean?" I tilted my head curiously. "You want to be short like me?"**

"**No no, more in control and expressive and uncaring about what people think about me," Britteny said.**

"**It's all about attitude," I shrugged, "Once people realize you don't care they'll leave you alone."**

"**Especially the control part," Britteny continued as if I hadn't spoken. "How do you keep it from getting away from you or bothering you at all? Isn't it like creepy scary?" Britteny said.**

"**Maybe we shouldn't talk about it here," I said lowering my voice.**

"**Can I sit with you and the others today, please? I really need to talk about this," Britteny pleaded.**

"**Not everyone at my table knows. We can't just start spouting about it in public, bad things could happen," I said.**

"**But please I don't think I can wait till the weekend," Britteny pleaded again, her voice wheedling.**

**I sighed through my nose. "I just I don't know, let me talk to the others and we'll see, okay? And you gotta be patient."**

**Britteny nodded. "Okay. Patient got it." She paid for her lunch and nodded a good bye before heading back to her table. Ashley immediately started berating her for talking to me in the lunch line. I watched Britteny's shoulders stiffened and her back straighten. I glanced up at the skylights. **_**Still normal**_**. **

**I stepped out of the line after paying for my lunch and stood for a few more minutes watching Britteny. She turned to Ashley with a forced smile. I squinted and saw Britteny's mouth form two words. Ashley's jaw dropped then flapped shut. Ashley stood and told Britteny something. Ashley stalked off out of the lunchroom and Britteny walked past me with a triumphant smile on her face.**

**I paid for my own lunch and slowly made my way back to the table. **_**Ceros, talk to the others and relay what just happened.**_

_**Will do young one.**_

**I took a deep breath and slowed even more. I bit my lip and spoke in my mind, **_**Droxyl; may I speak with you please?**_

_**Water Tamer you seem distressed.**_

**I skipped the pleasantries and began firing questions. **_**Did you tell her about the others and me? You promised you wouldn't. Did she figure it out by herself? How? I can't believe this. Why would she even think of mentioning it at school? **_

_**Water Tamer slow down. I did not tell her and she did figure it out by herself. She sensed your powers just like you did the air tamers. Weather is closely related to all the elements. She is desperate and feeling very alone.**_

**I sighed. **_**I apologize. All right I understand. I must eat before I get cranky.**_

_**Good day, water tamer. And Britteny wishes to speak to you.**_

**I plunked down at the table and dove into my lunch, unaware the garlic bread was dry and pasta slightly congealed.**

"**Aza are you all right?" Brenna asked. "I saw that cheer leader buggin' you."**

**I swallowed down a bite of pasta and washed it away with some chocolate milk. "She wasn't bugging me. She's actually my science partner and a friend of mine."**

"**You've got friends in all the cliques, don't you?" Beanpole asked.**

**I smiled wryly. "Yeah I suppose I do."**

"**You want to come over to my place after school?" Rob asked suddenly. "I've got an extra bike. There's this place I know that's so high you feel like you could fly off it." He met Lance's, Becca's and my gaze one by one, holding our eyes for a short second.**

"**We're not invited?" Beanpole asked and Rye nodded in agreement.**

"**You're afraid of heights," Rob said. "Besides I thought you had to baby sit?"**

"**Oh yeah I do, damn," Beanpole said.**

"**Well, what about us?" Rye asked, putting an arm around Brenna's shoulders.**

"**I thought you two were going to the movies?" Rob said in exasperation.**

"**Yeah but biking might be funner," Rye said.**

"**I want to go to the movies," Brenna said, pouting slightly and staring at Rye with a saddened expression likened to a puppy begging for a treat.**

"**Okay we'll go to the movies," Rye said, tapping her on the nose. Brenna squealed excitedly and giggled, trying to bite Rye's finger.**

"**Okay, lovebirds enough is enough." Becca said.**

"**Well Aza, how about it? Just you and me, I could bring a picnic," Rob said, his eyes lighting up hopefully.**

**I raised one eyebrow delicately. "You make it sound like a date," I stated.**

**Rob flushed and tried to speak but only managed to sputter incoherently. "I you but I'm,"**

**Lance's hand found mine and he gave it a squeeze. His voice whispered in my mind, **_**Becca and I will meet you there. Perhaps with Britteny,**_

**I glanced at him in confusion.**

_**Ambrosa taught me. Ceros will do the same for you soon. **_**Lance released my hand and turned back to what was left of his ham sandwich.**

"**I know it's not a date, Rob chill. I was just teasing," I said, throwing a noodle at him.**

"**Oh well I was going to say that it could be either way," Rob shrugged.**

"**Dude stop messing with my leg," Lance snapped.**

**Rob flushed as the rest of us broke down laughing. "I'm sorry I meant, I didn't mean to," Rob sputtered**

"**It's okay, Rob, I know you meant to hit on Aza," Lance said with a shrug. "I definitely know she'd 've smacked you for it through."**

"**You mean like this?" I twitched my fingers, coating my fingers with an invisible shield of ice and slapped Lance's cheek lightly, knowing the ice made up for the nonexistent force I put behind the hit.**

**Lance bit back a yelp and nodded, "Yes much like that. What was that for anyway?"**

**I stood abruptly. "Rob I'll meet you at your place when school gets out. I'm ditching," I gathered my bag and my tray and walked out of the lunchroom, stopping only to dump my tray in the garbage.**

_**Aza you will get in trouble. **_**Ceros warned**

_**I'm already in trouble, Ceros. I'm tired and frustrated. I want to train.**_

_**Fine, leave your stuff in Tony's car and we will go to the place Rob mentioned. **_**Ceros said, his tone sharp. **_**Danzig showed me where it is.**_

**I did as I was told and made my way cautiously out of school, using a side entrance and dropped my bag in the backseat of Tony's Thunderbird along with a note telling him why it was there and that I would be home after dinner. **

"**Aza? What are you doing out here?"**

**I jumped, water jumping to my fists as I whirled on the person who spoke.**

"**Whoa there," Britteny jumped back, her hands held up in surrender. "I didn't mean to scare you." Her jaw dropped, as she registered the angry swirling balls of water floating around my fists. "You are! Oh my God! I thought that I was just having an upset stomach." She stepped closer to me. "Oh my goodness Droxyl I am so sorry I didn't believe you." **

**A miniature cat sized version of the weather dragon slinked across Britteny's shoulders. "Tis understandable, my dear. I am just glad you have found the others."**

"**Others?!" Britteny gasped. "Who?"**

**I twitched my wrists and the water disappeared. "Becca, Lance, and Rob," I said. I bowed to the weather dragon. "Droxyl Illia. Pleasure to meet you face to face."**

**Droxyl dipped his scaly head. "Likewise Tamer Aza."**

**A shiver crawled up my spine. Ceros appeared on my shoulder. "We are all finally together."**

"**Britteny what are you doing out here?" I asked. "I was under the impression you didn't want to accept Droxyl?"**

**Britteny gasped and pressed her hands to her mouth. She curtsied. "Ceros Penteium. I am so very glad to meet you." She blushed. "I'm skipping too. I just can't deal with Ashley and Jerard right now. I've been having fights with all my friends and the only I can really turn to is Droxyl."**

"**Please rise, Ms. Britteny. The pleasure is mine." Ceros said with a smile. "Are you two going to join us in our training this afternoon?"**

"**Sadly no, we will take a rain check on that," Droxyl replied.**

"**Droxyl wanted to go but I want to have some alone time with him. After my talk with Aza. And I realized what I felt was actually the presence of her powers. Cause the feeling faded as I got farther away from her. I realized that it was true. So him and I have some catching up to do," Britteny said with a smile. She gave Droxyl's head a cautious pat. He leaned into the touch and Britteny smiled wider.**

"**But does this mean we are leaving soon?" I asked**

"**Perhaps. We need to talk to the others first," Ceros said. **

"**Come on school skipper," Droxyl said. "We must go."**

**I bowed once more. "Fare thee well, Droxyl. And we will see each other around Britteny."**

**Britteny bowed to Ceros and nodded to me. I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. **_**Can we fly? **_**I asked Ceros.**

_**Yes, I'll need a place to form though.**_

**I paused trying to think of a place. **_**I'm not sure. Wait I know! **_**I began running quickly toward the playing fields. **_**In the woods behinds the dugouts. **_

_**Are you sure it's safe? **_**Ceros asked**

_**Quite. **_**My stride extended as I felt Ceros allow his dragon strength to leak into my limbs so we could reach the trees quicker. I closed my eyes allowing only on instinct to guide me around the edges of the football field toward the ball diamonds. **_**Is everyone going to meet us there?**_

**Ceros didn't answer right off. I felt his presence fade slightly as he contacted on of the other dragons. **_**No one is sure.**_** Ceros answered returning fully to my mind. **_**Stay to the edge of the field as you reach the trees, blend in as well as you can. I think someone is following you.**_

_**You think?! You're supposed to know. **_**I reached for my power and let out a slow breath, reading the moisture in the air. Indeed Ceros was right, a male, cautious and quick but inept at stalking. I extended my stride even more once again using Ceros' strength as my own.**

**I dogged my way through the woods, not really watching where I was going, my lids half closed against the wind, I was relying on the moisture in the air to tell me where the trees were.**

_**Pause now and check to see if we are far enough. I did know by the way, I wanted you to be sure.**_

**I did as bidden and stopped, one hand on the trunk of an old beech tree. We were deep in the woods, forest surrounding us on all sides with no sign of our follower. **_**I believe we have lost the stalker for the time being, we can be sure that however it will leave us in peace once we are in the air. **_**I closed my eyes and took a deep breath and pictured Ceros as a mist rolling off my skin to form a cloud at the base of a massive oak tree in front of me.**

**Something tickled my skin and I peeked through my lashes to see the mist as I had pictured it in my head rolling from my skin, leaving a cool sensation on my skin as it moved away to collect itself in a cloud by the massive oak throwing shade over me.**

**I watched in awestruck silence as the cloud solidified changing and shifting to shape a dragon. Its eyes opened last, to meet mine with a wise predatory gaze.**

"**Hello, dear one." The words hissed from Ceros' mouth in a rasping voice, like a cat's tongue over your skin. It sent thrills through my bones, raising goose flesh my skin as my magic roiled about inside me in response to his voice.**

**Ceros' lips pulled back from his teeth in a grin. Wings unfurled from his sides and shone in the diamonds of sunlight breaking through the trees. Iridescent and slightly opaque, Ceros' wings looked like intricate fins. I gasped, reaching out to brush my fingertips against them. The touch left Ceros with a dragon's purr in his throat."Climb on my back, just in front of my wings in that nook. And allow us to take to the skies. Place your hands on my neck, palms down. Our bond and magic will keep you from slipping. Besides is in your blood to fly aback a dragon."**

**I clambered onto Ceros' slim back, placing my hands on his neck as I was told. I settled myself just in front of his wings, straddling his body, my knees bent slightly to keep out of the way of his wings. Pleasure raised yet another set of goose flesh on my skin and I shivered.**

"**Are you well, Aza?" Ceros asked as he reared back on hind legs and leapt up, his claws scrabbling at the thick bark of the beech tree I had been leaning against.**

**My leg muscles tightened and I leaned forward, my lips pulling back in a fierce grin as Ceros reached the top of the beech tree and leapt to an even taller pine tree.**

**Climbing faster as he leapt from branch to branch, Ceros reached the top of the tree in no time at all. Without stopping he hurled himself from the tree and spread his wings simultaneously, catching a thermal that took us high above the town.**

**I took a deep breath off the clear air rushing past my nostrils as I fell into the rhythm of the rise and fall of Ceros' wings. My muscles clenched and unclenched with the dragon's movements and I shifted as we banked turns and soared through the air.**

_**So what's the plan when we reached the place Rob told us about? **_**I asked through our mind connection.**

_**You will see, my dear. I am sure you can handle it. **_**Ceros answered. **_**I believe you will enjoy it and find it fascinating.**_

_**Aw Ceros don't hint just tell me. **_**I whined**

_**No, **_**Ceros answered firmly.**

**I set my mouth in a firm line and leaned low on Ceros' neck as he caught another thermal higher into the sky. I looked down at the town passing below us in a colored blur. I looked at the small specks of people and gray winding streets. **_**Could I really leave all of this behind? Could I truly help save the Earth?**_

_**Brace yourself young one. We are being followed once more. **_**Ceros' voice interrupted my thoughts and I glanced over my shoulder to just barely make out a dark fluttering form. The sun was at our back, casting the follower in shadow.**

**I leaned low over the dragon's neck, calling on the strength of the water magic that flowed through my body and sending it to Ceros. With a several mighty wing beats were shot forward several miles, only minutes from our destination.**

_**Ceros, there! **_**I shouted in my mind, pointing to a large, brilliant red three-story farmhouse nestled in a groove at the foot of a gargantuan hill.**

**Ceros folded his wings to his body, pointing himself to the smudge of dirt that could be seen at the top of the hill. I leaned down to press my cheek to Ceros' neck, as the wind whistled by my ears and tugged at my hair, pulling it free of the braid I had put it in.**

_**Are we still being followed? **_**I asked silently as Ceros spread his wings pulling us from our dive before we could hit the ground.**

**He hovered momentarily and shook his head. "No we lost whoever it was when you lent me your strength," Ceros said aloud as he landed lightly on the sandy soil.**

**I leaned back and tried to vault from Ceros' back. But only managed to cramp my legs into spasms. I groaned and began massaging me calves. "Ow ow ow," I grumbled as I bent my knees and rotated my ankles.**

"**You will be come used to riding soon, dear one," Ceros said. "It is in your blood after all."**

"**Yeah yeah I know," I said, easing myself backwards between Ceros' wings to give my legs more room to stretch. I groaned.**

**Ceros vibrated with laughter. "Will you make it down, Aza?"**

"**At some point or another," I said, clinging like a flea to Ceros' back as he lay down under a tree.**

**I lurched forward tumbling from my seat, I twisted turning my shoulders out and tucking my knees to my chest so I could roll when I hit the ground.**

"**Nice landing, Water Girl," a voice drawled from the edge of the clearing. It sounded oddly familiar, tugging at an earlier memory I couldn't place just yet.**

**I crouched on the balls of my feet, pulling water from the air. The water formed a solid rope orbiting around my hands, inches from my skin. It was cool to the touch, raising goose bumps on my skin as I gathered small balls in the palms of my hands as I stood.**

**A humorless laugh reached my ears and the voice spoke again. "Lower your defense, I am not here to harm you," the voice said, it was male, a bass with an underlying tremor, as if he was holding back a funny joke.**

**I didn't call back the water instead I closed my eyes and listened; to the wind and moistures it held. I turned to face the direction the wind told me the man was standing. I took a deep breath and flung my arms out straight. I brought them up over my head in a quick movement and turned my hands to form a cage like ball. I opened my eyes and flung the ball toward the voice, picturing in my mind the ball enclosing the person inside in inescapable cage of water.**

**Ceros watched in silence as I moved closer to the edge of the clearing and put my hand on his side to balance myself as I stepped up on what was left of a large hemlock stump. I lifted one and curled my fingers in a beckoning motion.**

**There as the snapping of branches as the balls drifted toward me. I beckoned again, making it move faster. Inside the ball sitting cross-legged was a very unhappy young man, looking about his early twenties.**

"**You know you could have just asked me to come out and I would have," he said, his voice muffled by the barrier of water.**

**I made my fingers into claws and dragged them vertically through the air, making openings in the sides of ball big enough for two fingers to fit through.**

"**You didn't have to sic your water on me," he added, his voice clearer now.**

**I stepped down from the stump as the ball reached Ceros and I. "You seem familiar," I stated as circled the floating cage.**

**The man tried to stand but I moved my hand, making the ball tremble so he couldn't find the balance to stand. "Okay so we've reached a conclusion can you let me out now?" he asked. "C'mon Ceros help me out."**

**I turned to the dragon. "You know him?"**

"**In sorts," Ceros said.**

"**Ah jeez," the man slapped his forehead with the heel of his palm. "Down play our relationship anymore and you can act as if I'm stranger."**

"**What is he talking about, Ceros?" I asked, my eyes flashing. Ice crystals began to show in the ball cage and the man's breath could be seen in white clouds.**

"**Ah Aza you need to calm down. I enjoy having all ten toes," the man said.**

**I whirled to face him, "Excuse me," I spat. "How do you know my name?"**

**The man sighed and passed a hand over his face. His hair shortened and curled, his eyes darkened to green and his face took on a jolly nature even for the solemn look on his face.**

**My hand flew to my neck where Ceros' crystal was tied on a cord, nestled in a intricately woven wrap made of the same type cord though it was finer, looking much like a spider web.**

**My concentration collapsed and the ball cage did too. The man landed on the ground on his rump with a thud. I tilted my head as I stepped toward him. "It's you. The crystal giver," I said quietly as he scrambled to his feet brushing debris from his cloak.**

**I felt Ceros' scales brush my back as he rested his head on my shoulder. My eyes narrowed as his name sprang to my lips. "Miguel," I hissed.**

**He bowed low; one arm folded behind his back the other over his belly. "Hello again, lady tamer."**


End file.
